Enchanted
by akitokihojo
Summary: "A thud in his chest, a swelling in his diaphragm. He could feel the thin skin of his lips slowly part as he let her statement hang in the air. The stillness between them was comfortable, as was her stare, and he allowed himself a small moment to stop thinking, to stop trying to figure out what was happening and just relish in the peace he'd found."
1. Chapter 1

_Softly inspired by "Enchanted" by Taylor Swift_

**Disclaimer:** If Kagome can take a bike to the past without messing up the space-time continuum, I can write a story that isn't 100% historically accurate.

* * *

Inuyasha ignored the calls behind him, taking a sharp turn through the tree line to disappear within the foliage, dodging low-sitting branches and thick roots that decorated the forest floor. Even from a distance, he could still catch the faint wheezing of his aide trying to catch up to him, to stop him from running off yet again. As fun as it was to escape his role in the kingdom, even just for an hour, he'd happily admit that the real joy came from the torment Miroku was clearly put through whenever he wandered off.

He'd been in the forest neighboring the country and his castle time and time again, but for the sake of adventure, this afternoon he chose to venture further. It wasn't like he'd been sheltered all his life; there have been many occasions where he and his squad were sent out on missions or what have you, traveling through plenty of greenery and distant jurisdictions, but that was in the line of duty. When it came down to it, he took his responsibilities as prince very seriously, always sure to keep himself in check so that his team followed suit. He was well-trained and well-respected as such, and Inuyasha was sure to let that show so that whomever worked under his name would put forth the same amount of effort. That didn't mean his wanting free spirit was muddled in the process, though. Whenever he had a moment to spare, or found it suitable to _borrow_ a moment, he'd disappear into the woods, ready to explore a world that wasn't made up in glam, wasn't tended to by servants, wasn't shiny and new and made beautiful - but was natural and aged and magnificent all on its own.

The prince slowed his pace, knowing he was in a territory he hadn't had the pleasure of roaming through recently. His sensitive ears picked up the sound of the large river that ran through the land his family ruled, birds in the trees calling their mates, bugs fluttering along, small animals creeping through the grounds around him. It was liberating. Nature didn't know who he was, didn't care of his status. It carried on without so much as a bow, and it lifted the dense weight he carried from his shoulders.

Not too far off, catching his attention, he heard someone crunching through the drying leaves and giving small, breathy huffs all the while. He'd left his attendants back in the dust, so there was no way they were seemingly struggling with something up ahead, the mystery serving to peek his curiosity. As he slowly sauntered closer, his ember eyes caught the brief glance of a long, dark blue dress through a thin part in the trees.

It was like his feet moved on their own accord then, just the glimpse of flowing thread dragging him forward, boots quiet along the floor as he worked to catch up. Waving, black hair landed at her mid-back, and the girl worked to flip it with the flick of her head, as if to keep it from cascading over the front of her shoulders. In her arms, from the angle he could see, she'd stacked an assortment of moderately-sized pieces of wood, the pile itself a little too large for her to comfortably carry; she had to continuously peek around the arm-full to see the path before her. The girl stopped and he immediately halted at the curve of a tree, almost stumbling against the root he'd aimed to carefully step over, her attention gathered at the patch of plants to the right of her feet. There was nothing special about the weeds that he could see. Not even a flower poked from the head of any of them, but there she was, angling herself to squat down to get a better look, almost losing her pile along the way.

From where he stood, he still couldn't catch her features, the passing seconds increasing his thundering interest. The end of her long, cream-colored, bell sleeve grazed the dirt as she attempted to reach out to touch the plant, supporting what she carried with her legs while her balance somewhat wobbled. She was going to fall. Inuyasha was practically counting down until she did. As the girl went to rise, her once-removed arm now trying to weave back under the large stack, she swayed on the balls of her feet, concentrating more on not letting her armful fall than her body.

It was impossible to stifle his chuckle, even behind his hand or with a clenched throat, so he laughed freely, the young woman shocked as she directed a look at him over her shoulder, her butt now planted uncomfortably along the dirt path.

"Were you just _watching_ me?" She asked skeptically, brows furrowed.

"Sorry," He smiled, laughter subsiding. "I couldn't have caught you before you fell even if I'd wanted to."

"Well, thanks for trying." Big, brown eyes rolled sarcastically as the girl pushed the remaining kindling off of her, rolling over to stand on her knees, her back once again facing him.

"What was so interesting about that weed, anyway? You were doing so well until you stopped to look at it." The prince's grin never faded as he walked forward. He kneeled beside her, nonchalantly trying to study the face slightly hidden behind long, dark hair while he helped scoop up the broken wood. Those round eyes he'd glimpsed before shot at him then, plush lips curving disapprovingly.

"That _weed_ is also an herb that could be used for pain management."

"Fascinating. So pick it."

"My hands are full."

"Your hands are empty now."

"My hands will be - stop helping - will be full. I'll come back for it." The girl swooped away his neat pile, dirt dragging with the edges of the wood, slightly dirtying the cloth of the chemise along her arms.

"Oh, so _now_ you don't want my help." Inuyasha chuckled, observing while she attempted to stack it all in her grasp once more.

"I never knew you were there to want it in the first place." She answered plainly, not looking at him.

He couldn't help the intrigue he felt at the audacious woman. There was initial surprise in her expression when she first noticed him, but not the kind he was used to; he could tell it was because she was snuck up on and nothing more. The way she spoke was as if he were any average person interrupting her solitude, almost holding an impertinent tone. The eye contact was what got him, though. No one but those he was closest to, his aides included, held stable eye contact with the prince, yet here she was staring him down when she saw it suitable. Others would respectfully meet his glance, but swiftly look off to the side or just below, almost as if he, himself, were the intimidating factor - not his royal title. It drove him crazy if he thought about it too much, so he didn't, it being something he'd grown up with and something he was reasonably-adjusted to.

Who the hell was this woman? He was almost inclined to ask why she failed to show the esteem he'd grown to expect from people at just the mere sight of him, but was too entertained to see how far she'd boldly go.

Her fair cheeks were brushed pink by the brisk air of autumn, her lips a little brighter, like she'd just been eating berries and the juices had painted them beautifully. He was almost disposed to believe they were naturally that color. As she straightened her hunched-over form, preparing to stand, she wobbled again, his hand instinctively catching her wrist.

"Let me carry some of that."

"No, thanks." She brusquely declined, peeking around the edge of her stack to give a cheap smile. A little taken aback by her refusal, Inuyasha inadvertently couldn't help but wonder what her real smile looked like.

"You're going to fall again."

"I'm sure you're out here on business, so I'll mind mine while you mind yours."

"Why are you so opposed to me helping you?" The prince laughed, supporting her arm as she rose to her feet.

"I've done much worse on my own. I think I can handle some fire kindling."

"But why so much? You've got tiny arms."

"My arms are not tiny, sir."

"They're pretty tiny."

"Well, not everything can be as big as your ego."

Inuyasha nearly choked, an actual, shocking jolt causing his body to freeze as the insult shot him through. His jaw dropped, words caught in his throat, his smile only growing wider as she continued on her way, leaving him where he stood.

He jogged to catch up, sidestepping to look at her as he held pace at her side. "Have I offended you?"

"Not at all."

"Then, may I ask why I'm receiving... _this_ from you?" Inuyasha motioned to her entire form with his hands, not quite able to put a word to the sort of attitude he was receiving. It wasn't cold, but couldn't be described as welcoming either.

"What?"

"You're sassy, you're stubborn, you wont take my help, and you won't stop - would you stop walking?"

The girl halted, her head slightly rolling back as she huffed, directing the puff of air upward, causing her bangs to flutter out slightly. She didn't speak, didn't even look at him. He could see her shoulders begin to fidget, though, her lips pressing into a thin line.

"Getting kind of heavy?"

She hummed a yes.

"Want me to take some now?"

She hummed another yes, a little more high-pitched that time.

Inuyasha chuckled again, crossing to the front of her as he swiftly scooped a little more than half of the pile into his arms. Finally, he received his first, full view of the girl, his breath catching in his lungs. Her wavy hair sat perfectly behind her shoulders, unable to hinder his view. Her brown eyes were no longer sharp as daggers, but held a hint of wonder. Enough of her was visible now that he could see the blue overdress laced up her torso, holding her waist snuggly. The long chemise beneath was modest, perfectly curving over her chest, only revealing what refused to be hidden.

Kagome gazed at the man before her, his lips slightly parted, almost seeming to take her in as she was him. He was handsome. Almost too handsome to be fair. The rays of light that filtered through the thick treetops caught his short, tousled, silver locks, bringing them to glimmer like the sun caught water. His eyes resembled a glowing fire, burning away her resolve as quickly as she expected the wood in her hands to char to nothing tonight. He was tall, chiseled, and a little more tan than the tint her own fair skin sat at.

"Thank you." She meagerly whispered.

"That wasn't so hard now was it?"

"Alright, give it back." The girl deadpanned, rolling her eyes again, the deepened pink in her cheeks almost dwindling away before his eyes.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Lead the way. Are you in town?"

"Mhm. Not too far from here." She conceded, trudging forward, Inuyasha falling by her side as if it was as natural as their surroundings. "I'm the assistant to the herbalist at her shop."

"Ah. Explains the interest in the plant back there. So, you make medicine?"

"No, I mostly just help out. I haven't quite gotten all the recipes down yet, but I know a lot of the herbs she uses, and I study as much as I can in my downtime. Kaede does the intricate work, I do the running around."

"Oh, Kaede. Yeah, I know her. That sounds…" Inuyasha struggled to find the proper word, not quite sure how to label her duties. To him, it seemed painfully dull. "...fun?

"Oh, it is. I really enjoy it all." The girl perked, nodding his way. Her smile grew, and while it wasn't as bright as the potential he knew it held, it still somehow caught his undivided attention. He wanted to see more. He didn't understand, he'd never felt so intrigued about a single person. It was always the outside world that grasped at him. He'd seen women smile, he'd seen beautiful bodies, and cute faces, and wavy hair, and the color was so common it'd be impossible to claim he'd never noticed it before. What about her held him so captive?

The unspoken question was answered immediately. Her demeanor. She treated him like he was normal; just another person. She wasn't afraid to give him attitude, there was no guard about her. It was inexplicably and unexpectedly more refreshing than he'd ever imagined. More over, it was peculiar and he had to experience more.

"Who are you?" Inuyasha asked, dumbfounded.

"My name's Kagome." The girl replied, watching her feet as she stepped over a protruding tree root and out into a small field. The other end of it harbored a small cottage, one he'd seen while passing through the village plenty of times, and one the castle's messengers were often sent to. They had a practitioner of their own living on castle grounds, but he was mainly kept there out of courtesy, too old to maintain his work; he'd been with the royal family for years, since before Inuyasha's older brother was even born, and deserved the comfortable life he'd been bequeathed. In emergency situations, he jumped at the occasion without complaint, but in most circumstances, Kaede was called for. It was important she was accessible considering her relationship with the princess, and Inuyasha distinctly remembers the king offering her living quarters within the gates. The proposal was declined, though, the elderly woman choosing to be available to the public and not just the royal family.

Her decision was respected so long as she tended to the princess's health regularly.

The prince tensed as they neared closer to the shop, suddenly finding himself nervous their casual conversation was about to end. No doubt, once they saw the apothecary, he'd receive questions of his family's well-being, and he just didn't want to dance around the formalities.

"Is - uh -" He stammered, trying to get his question out. "Is-is Kaede here?"

"No, I don't think she's back yet." Kagome shook her head, glancing over her shoulder at him as she neared two stacks of wood at the side of the cottage, one made up of larger chunks of firewood and another lesser pile for kindling. "I'm pretty sure she's still on the castle grounds. One of the guards fell and hurt his ankle."

"For Christ's - which one?" Inuyasha groaned, rolling his ember eyes.

She eyed him questioningly, brows furrowing skeptically as she dropped her wood in the respective pile. "I don't know." She admitted, swiping her hands of any dirt. "I don't think they mentioned who. Speaking of, neither have you."

"What?"

"You see, I've introduced myself. Isn't this about the time where you return the courtesy?"

He wasn't sure how to respond, his stomach leadening but staying put in his abdomen. A warm rush soared through his veins, causing tingles to poke at his flesh from beneath as it passed. She didn't know who he was. That explained everything. His eyes followed her as she skirted around him towards the entrance to the shop, the dark blue hem of her dress sliding along his brown pant leg, practically dragging him to follow after just as he placed down his own armful.

_She didn't know who he was._ This was a first. He'd never once had to introduce himself within his own kingdom. Only outside their borders did he get the benefit of anonymity. The moment he gave her a name, it was all over. She'd be overly polite, she'd curtsey, she'd apologize for the jab at his ego, and he immediately found himself wanting none of it from her. Still, the question stood: how was she unaware?

"I'm sorry," Inuyasha shut the door as he stepped inside behind her, the air smelling strongly of the wood they'd most likely burned this morning. "You don't know who I am?"

"Sort of why I'm asking." Kagome answered simply, stepping behind a small counter where rows of labeled drawers organized their collection of herbs.

"You haven't seen me around? Town, I mean."

She glanced up at him, brown eyes slowly looking him over before she gave a shake of her head, a small smile beginning to grow. There was a gleam of amusement in the expression. "It's a large town. And even if I had, I still don't know your name."

"You don't know my name." He smiled, more of astonishment.

"You're being weird." She slightly grimaced. "I think I'd definitely recognize a face like yours."

"Right, because it's the face that gives me away." Inuyasha sarcastically mentioned.

Kagome peeked at the ears on top of his head, her attention drifting back down when he cocked a brow. Demons were common, and she knew he had some of that blood the moment they met. Those details, she didn't like to pay attention to. A being was a being to her.

His look was challenging, but the grin on his lips was subtly charming, bringing her to laugh and shy her glance away.

There was a flurry in his chest as she smiled, the giggle being the absolute undoing of the eruption. He'd been waiting, curious to see that, and it was worth every second.

"My manners are horrible," He smiled, trying to speak as smoothly as possible as he fumbled over his thoughts, racking his brain for a name. Any name. Any name other than his. "I'm -" He sat on that word for a small moment, dragging out the hum. "K-Koga. I'm Koga."

"Are you a guard?"

"What makes you think that?" He quickly asked, a little edgy.

"Your reaction earlier made it seem like you knew them. And the way you're dressed could pass off as one." Kagome gestured toward the sword at his hip. "Am I wrong?"

Inuyasha looked down, his off-white, long-sleeved Bastian shirt a little dirty from the wood he'd carried, tucked loosely into his pants. He was glad he went out casual today - for a prince's standards. "You're not. I'm a guard."

She gave a pleasant smile, shifting her eyes downward as she pulled a loaf of bread out from beneath a towel. "Well, _Koga_," She emphasized his alias, causing him to slightly stiffen. "Can I offer you some bread? It's fresh; I just made it a few hours ago."

"You'd offer food to a stranger?" He cocked a brow again, watching as she carved a few slices out with a knife.

"You aren't a stranger anymore. And it's the least I could do after you insisted on helping me."

Inuyasha inched his chin upward, an inquisitive expression twisting his features. "No, thanks. Could be poison. I'm a thrill seeker, but I'm not a big fan of the taste."

Without missing a beat, Kagome picked up a slice of bread and took a bite out of it, amusement once again shining in her eyes. "Suit yourself."

He looked at her with bewilderment, mouth unintentionally hanging agape as she casually went about her business. The more he stood in her presence, the more he needed to know about her. He couldn't explain it, and maybe the lack of explanation was what provided the excitement behind it all. Surprisingly, where it _should_ matter to him, it didn't. There was something about this woman, something that he needed to discover himself.

"You are _very_ interesting."

"I know how to bake bread, sir, and poison isn't measured once in the recipe."

"Fair enough." Inuyasha steadily nodded, inwardly appreciating her wit. He stepped toward the counter, snagging a slice for himself. "Since you haven't keeled over, I -"

He tensed, catching the nearing sound of his aides calling for him. Miroku's pleas drew out dramatically, croaking, music to Inuyasha's ears but also the bright signal that this meeting had to end.

"I have to go."

She swallowed, her brows furrowing minutely, the question as clear as if she'd said it aloud.

"I'm so sorry, but I do. I have to go." Inuyasha smiled, trying to stifle his laugh as Miroku continued to beg for him to appear. He had to stop him before he got too close and blew his cover.

"Are you alright?"

He took a bite of the bread, hopping closer to the door, hand outstretched for the knob. "This is good, really good. Greatest bread I've ever had. Bye."

Kagome's face twisted perplexedly, observing the man as he danced out the door, giving a final wave and shutting it behind him. It was hard to ignore the abrupt shift in his attitude, and even harder not to follow after, especially when she heard someone shouting incoherently and approaching quickly.

Inuyasha ran towards them, shushing Miroku's whines while Sango pierced him with a dangerous glare, his hands held out in front of them to get them to stop.

"Why do you always do this to me?" Miroku wheezed, doubling over with his hands propped on his knees.

He shushed him again, a bit more aggressively this time.

"You couldn't have stuck just a little closer?" Sango asked, almost as winded as her partner but always holding better composure. "It's one thing to wander off, it's another to completely disappear."

"Wait, why were you at Kaede's shop? Did something happen? Are you alright, Your Highn-"

Inuyasha omitted a series of strained sounds, cutting his dramatically-frantic aide off midway. Miroku and Sango both flinched back, justifiably confused.

"I'm fine! We can talk about this later!"

"Um – " Kagome's voice rang from behind them and Inuyasha couldn't ease the sudden rigidness of his muscles. His stomach felt uneasy as he turned around to see the girl leaning against the doorframe, looking at them puzzlingly. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"If you give me two minutes of total cooperation, I'll answer any question you have after." He murmured quietly to the two at his side.

"Koga?" Kagome tried again.

Miroku snorted, strangling back the laugh that immediately swelled. The prince shot him a look of warning, shoving the remainder of the slice of bread into the guard's mouth. "Here. Eat."

"Hi, sorry." Sango walked over, greeting the girl with a friendly smile, appearing perfectly nonchalant. "Hope our friend wasn't too much trouble for you."

"I'm never trouble." Inuyasha defended.

Kagome shrugged, bobbing her head from side-to-side, a small grimace on her lips. "He was decent."

"Excuse me, I came to your rescue."

"Yes, from the heavy stack of kindling. My hero."

Miroku snorted again, patting his chest to pass it off as him trying to swallow correctly. "Wow, I don't think we've met." He smiled, reaching for the girl's hand. "My name's Miroku, a knight serving the crown." He bowed down slightly, bringing the back of her fingers up to meet his lips.

She slid them out of his grasp just in time, giving him a cheap grin. "I'm Kagome, and my hands are dirty."

"Just as well, so is his mouth." Sango sneered.

"Disregard Sango."

"I don't know, seems like sound advice." Kagome shrugged again, giggling.

Inuyasha felt that flutter again, watching her interact with his aides. Her smile was strangely addicting, and in the back of his mind he felt himself steadily growing envious of any person that got to see it daily.

"Anyway," Miroku nudged the prince, bringing him out of his reverie. "It's been lovely, but we're running late. Ready, Koga?"

Her brown eyes met his ember, lingering longer than she'd originally planned, catching herself stuck in the color and pulling herself free by blinking away.

"Yeah." Inuyasha replied gently, not yet looking from the girl before them.

"Hope to see you again." Sango smiled. Walking back towards the path they came in. Miroku followed close behind, turning to wait for the prince to join them.

"Hope to see you again." He softly echoed, smiling as he walked backwards away from her. Finally, at Miroku's side he turned around, forcing himself to keep his attention on the route before him.

—

It'd been two days. Two days of staring out the windows of the castle, mindlessly trying to see if he could pinpoint the apothecary's cottage from any vantage point. The answer was no. The forest was dense, and curved inward and around the left portion of the country, where homes and whatnot grew further apart and more livestock was kept. Kaede's shop was stuck somewhere in that thick heap, and therefore impossible for him to see. He didn't know why. At moments, he'd just catch himself staring out the large windows of his study while he was supposed to be doing paperwork. Then he'd go back to it. Then his mind would wander to that herb she'd dropped her wood for, and as he'd ask himself if she ever went back for it, his eyes would drift back out the windows, once again searching for the distant cottage.

Very soon, his study wasn't good enough, so he excused himself for a quick break from his workload and ventured to the library. Obviously, he had no business there, but it was a floor higher and the princess often complimented the view from her favorite reading window. When he realized that was the wrong angle to be searching from, he crossed to the opposite wing of the castle. Then gave himself an excuse to go up another flight. When that didn't work either, he stomped back down to his study and stared at the stack of paper pertaining to one of the forts under his personal jurisdiction - one he'd stared at for forty minutes straight before his break. It was pathetic how he couldn't get through the first two lines before he told himself to try two floors up once more, a different room this time around.

Shockingly, he didn't receive as much teasing from Miroku as he'd expected. No matter how many times he walked off and returned ten minutes later, his aide only served him knowing side-glances and entertained smirks. He wasn't even laughed at the entire way home from the shop for his choice in fake names. Small jabs were all he received before the subject was lost and replaced with a scolding for his running off.

When he stared off into the distance from the roof of the high tower, it was typically for the momentary peace it brought him. He took his role as the prince seriously. He served his kingdom to the best of his abilities. He showed face when necessary, led his troops proudly, stayed up to date on current affairs, reported back to the king as requested, and even _eventually_ got the tedious paperwork completed. The trees, the woods, they didn't expect anything from him, though. Now, he was staring out, waiting for something to jump at him. After twenty-four hours, the wanting became frustrating. He couldn't even begin to explain why he was doing this, because he didn't understand, himself. He just couldn't stop looking, searching, wondering.

Just before the sun began to set on the second day, Inuyasha gave in. He needed air. Air that couldn't be provided within the gates of the castle. He feigned a stomach bug so Sango and Miroku would leave him be for the remainder of the evening, and used the opportunity to sneak out, keeping close to the walls in the courtyard before he was at his usual spot to climb and hop over, safely landing in the woods he'd trail through. Allowing his feet to blindly lead the way, the prince took in a deep breath, allowing the fresh, untainted, responsibility-less oxygen to fill his lungs.

The river was close, rushing, water gliding over smoothed-even rocks, the sound hitting his ears more beautifully than the wind hitting a chime. It wasn't until then that he realized where he'd wandered. As if exasperated with his own self, Inuyasha rolled his head back defeatedly. What was wrong with him? Was there an herb that cured needless infatuation with fleeting curiosity?

As much a he knew he shouldn't have been in the area, so far from the castle without his aides, it wasn't all that surprising he'd ended up there. As he passed by the princess's quarters after hightailing from his own, he could hear Kaede giving her her weekly checkup. In the back of his mind, he knew Kagome was alone. In the back of his mind, he knew it was safe to come all this way.

He planned to satisfy whatever this sensation in his chest was by locating the spot they'd met. He'd asked himself countless times if she'd gone back for the plant, so he may as well see. Afterward, he'd turn back. That should be enough for now. As he searched for any landmark he may remember to lead him toward the path, he heard a distant, heavy sigh. It was rough and short, holding a hint of aggravation. Like he had the attention span of a three year-old, Inuyasha followed the pull toward the heaved breath, treading carefully over the dirt and twigs beneath his boots.

Kagome dropped the axe on the ground, her fingers admittedly too unsteady to properly hold the wooden handle. If she kept going, kept attempting to chop the wood before her, she was afraid the axe would fly right out of her hands. She tried to shake the words she'd heard out of her head, but no matter how many times she pushed the new memory from her mind, it came back full force, too fresh to be forgotten so soon. There was a man she'd encountered on her way back from a delivery not even an hour ago, one who was capable of smiling through clearly unwelcome and unsettling comments. He made subtle insinuations and followed her down the road toward the shop, which she forced herself to walk passed, roaming through the busy part of town until he casually promised to see her later like any old friend would. He wasn't entirely overbearing, if she were being honest with herself. His "compliments" were nothing she hadn't heard before, nor any other woman for that matter. What tipped her off and had her concerned was the feeling she immediately got from him. Like he wasn't just a flirt. Like there was more hidden beneath his skin.

That was what caused his words to linger around, flinging back to disturb whatever peace she'd momentarily gained by walking the empty woods or daringly chopping wood in her state. With the sharp object now lying on the leaf-covered floor, Kagome shook out her hands, hoping her irrational anxiety would fly out from the tips of her fingers and leave her alone. It sort of worked, and she sighed out, plopping her butt down in front of a nearby tree and leaning back against it, brown eyes traveling upward to stare at the shifting colors of the sky.

A loud crack caught her attention, and her head whipped to the side, searching around to spot what had made the noise.

"It's only me." Inuyasha cautiously stepped out from the hefty trunk he'd hidden behind. "Sorry."

The tension visibly left her chest and the prince couldn't help but wonder if he had legitimately scared her, guilt beginning to pool in his abdomen. There was an air about her that was different than the other day. It wasn't like he could claim to know her well enough to pinpoint it exactly, but it was washing over him almost as easily as the moment he'd become stricken by her wit. This was thick, blue, and unnerving, the brief curve in her brow increasing the weight sitting in his gut.

Before he could speak, Kagome shook her head, a small smile gracing her lips. "What are you, the guardian of the forest?"

"What are you, a forest nymph?" He chuckled.

Her laugh was breathy, no voice trailing behind it as she once again shook her head, black hair spilling over her shoulders to curve around the sides of her cheeks.

"What are you doing out here?" Inuyasha asked, stepping forward to be in the small clearing she'd claimed.

"I could ask you the same thing. You're far from the castle grounds."

"I'm off duty."

"I'm chopping wood."

He looked at the few, uneven pieces she'd managed to cut, strewn about the ground. "It's a little late for that, don't you think? It'll be dark soon."

"But it isn't dark _yet_." Kagome shrugged. "It's fine, I don't mind."

Inuyasha observed her, taking in the features of her face. Their eye contact was short-lived as hers fluttered away, downward. It only served to bring him in more, choosing a tree of his own to lean against as he removed the sheath of his sword from his side and sat to the left of her.

"Is something wrong?" He carefully asked. He knew the answer he would receive, but still, as she responded with a semi-convincing denial, a knot began to form in his chest. Somehow, he could tell she was lying. But who was he to push her for the truth?

Kagome glanced back towards the sky, the hues on the few clouds a mesh of ferocious orange and temped pink. "This is my favorite time of day. It isn't always worth looking at, but sometimes you get to see something even brighter than this and you're glad you remembered to look up for a moment."

Inuyasha, tearing his focus from her, followed her line of sight, absorbing himself in the warmth of the colors. "What about the sunrise?"

"That's pretty, too. Not as much potential for purple to appear, though."

"Is that your favorite color?"

He caught her nod in his peripherals, eyes swiftly landing back on her. Kagome's smile was a centimeter bigger, lips sealed but still just as bewitching.

"That and teal. Do you enjoy watching the sunrise?"

"Not necessarily. It means I'm up too early." He laughed. "Though, if I had to choose between dawn and dusk, I think I'd say dawn since I don't see it nearly as often. When that happens, you learn to appreciate its beauty a little more."

"I wouldn't say that. You can always appreciate the beauty in everything no matter how often you stare at it, because if you look a little closer each time, you can find something you didn't notice before."

"Says the person who just said the sunset isn't always worth looking at."

Kagome laughed, her cheeks growing pink as she brought her knees in closer to her chest, the sides of her dark overdress following gravity and folding along the floor while her cream chemise kept her legs shielded from the chill of the air. "Sometimes it's overcast!"

Inuyasha would never admit out loud how lost he found himself in admiration of her, especially as more color flushed back to her face. He liked it. She didn't look so frightened anymore, her eyes no longer lacking their glimmer. They were deep in shade, but when the light hit just right, he could see a ring of feverish gold within them.

He looked back up to the sky, the sun lower than before and the colors now richer. "That's not to say I don't enjoy this just as much. On good days, it resembles the world on fire, burning away the weight of any burden with the promise of something new in a few hours."

She grew quiet, and after a moment of the deepening silence, the prince turned back toward the girl, finding her gaze on him. There was something to her expression, something soft and tender. He couldn't put a name to it, nor could he think straight enough to find one.

"Too bleak?" He asked.

"Not at all." Kagome answered, their eyes meeting. "There's plenty of beauty in embers."

A thud in his chest, a swelling in his diaphragm. He could feel the thin skin of his lips slowly part as he let her statement hang in the air. The stillness between them was comfortable, as was her stare, and he allowed himself a small moment to stop thinking, to stop trying to figure out what was happening and just relish in the peace he'd found. As the sun hid itself behind the distant mountains in the West, shadows filling the woods, Inuyasha pushed himself to stand.

"Come on, It's late. I'll walk you back."

Kagome stood, dusting off her dress and moving to collect her axe. "Oh, that's okay. It's not far from-"

His hand landed on the sleeve of her arm, stopping her mid stride. Though the darkness was setting in, she could still make out the glowing hue of his eyes, the shape sharpening."I know I didn't really take no for an answer the other day, but this time there's absolutely no chance that I will. I'd like to make sure you're safe."

"But, you don't have to." She hesitantly said, a little taken aback by his insistence.

"It's not about obligation, Kagome." He stated, bending down to scoop up the few pieces of chopped wood. "It's about what's right, and capability."

"What if I'm perfectly _capable_ of protecting myself?" She challenged, grabbing her axe from the floor and holding it safely. Inuyasha looked at her, a smile growing.

"Well, then I guess you've got two safe havens to rely on now." He nodded his head in a gesture for her to lead the way, Kagome smiling in return as she stepped out onto the unmarked path, the half demon following close behind.


	2. Chapter 2

Inuyasha was easily growing distracted by just the thought of her. He was being scolded for the work he had building up, his mind out the window and over the walls of his grounds. Sometimes, the urge to see her became too overwhelming, so he found himself sneaking out in the dead of night. Not every time did he find her, and to be honest, he was grateful for that. He recognized very quickly that he didn't like her out late on her own, and the few times that he did run into her, whether it be collecting specific herbs that thrived in the evening or walking home from some sort of medicinal delivery, he wasn't able to bite back the frustration that developed. He'd offer to walk her home, she'd respectfully decline, then he'd begrudgingly walk her home anyway. Her only excuse was ever, "It can't be helped." After a few times, despite his incessant lecturing of the dangers, he noticed her smiling from the corner of his eye, almost appearing comfortable with their walks. He'd put up a front for the sake of his argument, but inevitably softened from her warmth.

Seeing her was like a dosage of medicine, and when he went days without, he craved the satiation she provided. He knew he needed to be serious about things. He had responsibilities, and he couldn't afford to tip anyone off that he'd been sneaking out. Miroku would have his head, and if word got to the king, hell would open up and swallow him whole. The prince was falling behind, becoming sloppy, so he pushed himself to focus. If he went a specific amount of days without jumping the wall, if he caught up with the pile of paperwork on his desk, and didn't lose form during combat training, he'd allow himself a few hours outside as a reward. Of course, he'd take the woodland route. If he was spotted, especially at night, he was done for. If his name or title was risked to be heard, his cover was blown.

Inuyasha obviously didn't know what he wanted. He couldn't be Koga forever, and quite frankly, personally knowing the actual owner of the name, he should have chosen wiser. It was a moment of anonymity, and he grasped for it. Now there was a part of him that wished she knew him. Really knew him; who he was, his favorites, his dislikes. But then what? What did he want to come of that? How would she react to his blatant lie? It was too soon to tell, but in that regard he had to ask himself, how long could he get away with this?

"From the fort, Your Highness." A messenger entered, holding out a sealed envelope for Inuyasha to take. Without hesitation, the prince opened the message, reading it thoroughly.

"What is it?" Sango asked, noticing the deep crinkle in his brow.

"They were attacked." Inuyasha responded, the words clenched in his throat. "They fended whoever it was off, but troops were hurt."

"Any casualties?" Miroku apprehensively inquired, the tension heavy in the air.

"It's not stated."

"And the attacker?"

"They don't know. They were snuck up on." The prince had yet to peel his eyes from the paper in his hands, reading it twice over before looking to the messenger standing at the door. "Get word to them that we're on our way."

The messenger bowed, doing a stiff one-eighty before hastily heading out. Inuyasha turned to his aides, both of them awaiting their instructions.

"I want three more men to come along with us. Have the horses readied, we're leaving in an hour."

"Wait. Inuyasha, what do you think this means?" Miroku stepped forward, indigo eyes steady.

"We won't know that until we see the damage for ourselves. Most importantly, my soldiers are hurt. If we _are_ under attack, we can't expect them to be a formidable line of defense if we don't tend to whatever they may need. I want Koga as one of our troops, I trust you to choose the other two."

"Understood."

"Sango, make sure we have additional supplies, including food. I don't have word on their rations and I won't have anyone skipping meals."

"Understood." She nodded.

"What about a medic? Should we call for Kaede?" Miroku asked.

"No, she needs to be here for Rin. We'll bring Totosai to help the fort's medic tend to the injured."

"I'll send for him now."

"I'll meet you in an hour." Inuyasha said, eyes shifting out the window. He heard the stomp of Sango and Miroku's boots as they left him to do as they were instructed, and it wasn't until the noise had completely faded when he swiftly turned on his heal and headed out the back way.

He wanted to tell her. Chances were strong that he'd be gone for a minimum of two weeks, considering the time it took to travel there in the first place. Inuyasha felt more comfortable with the idea of her knowing he had to leave. Maybe she'd be a little more cautious while he was away and consciously make sure she was home around the time it got dark. At the very _least, _she could manage that during the span where he couldn't make sure she was safe, himself.

It was broad daylight, but he knew his path around the wall of the grounds well. The concealment of darkness made it easier, but it wasn't impossible to sneak by while it was still busy out. Once his boots collided with the soft earth of the forest floor just outside, he got running. He had little time to waste, and could only hope she was near Kaede's shop or in the small cabin out back that she'd claimed as her own. As he approached, he slowed, allowing his enhanced senses to take over, finding her sweet scent leading him towards the herbalist's doors. Just as well, Kaede's scent was powerful too. They were in there together.

His muscles gradually grew more rigid with each step. He wondered if Kaede could take a hint as easily as his aides had come to understand him, the direct look of his eyes bringing them to immediately follow his lead in whatever scenario. She was a smart woman, highly intuitive. Having seen too much in her age, she was willing to do whatever to keep the peace and spread compassion. Could he trust her not to say anything if he signaled for her to keep quiet, or would she speak too soon for him to catch her?

With no more time to contemplate, the prince grasped the knob of the door to the shop, slowly twisting it open, ignoring the unsettling feeling in his abdomen. Behind the counter, he saw Kagome, her nose close to a book as she silently lipped what it read, the petals of a plant held loosely in her right palm. There was no squeak to the hinge of the door, so when she finally noticed him standing there, she perked up, a soft smile greeting him. Quickly, the prince pressed a finger to his lips, ember eyes briefly glancing at the elderly woman sitting near the fire at the side of the room. Her back was facing him as she worked to grind medicine in a bowl, completely unaware of him standing in the doorway. As he glanced back at Kagome again, he gestured for her to follow him outside with a flick of his head. Her brows had furrowed slightly, perplexity written in the downward curve of her lips, but she didn't hesitate to do as he asked. She curved around the counter, the apothecary not even bothering to look up as she passed, and followed him out into the small field, shutting the door behind her.

"Hey." Inuyasha breathed.

"Hi." Kagome half expected him to fill the silence; it seemed he had a lot to say, yet in that moment his lips were sealed and eyes unsure. "Is - uh - is everything okay?"

It was like his brain had become foggy. Why was he here? Why was he so set on her knowing he had to leave? Interestingly enough, whatever nerves that had built from the message he'd received from the fort at the border of their country was beginning to dwindle away. The longer he stood there in her presence, the calmer he felt.

He was losing his damn mind.

"I'm not sure yet." The prince answered, running his fingers back through his hair as he tried to clear his thought process. "But I have to leave. On a mission. With the prince."

"Oh." Was the only thing she could manage to say for a moment, her body stiffening moderately. "Did you need some -"

"N-no. I didn't come here for anything. I just wanted you to know."

"Okay." She gave a slow nod, one that grew as the comprehension sank in. She couldn't help the awkwardness that was gradually building, decidedly passing the petals she still had in her hand from one palm to the other in an attempt to keep herself somewhat rooted. "Is it dangerous?"

"You never know with these sort of things. The potentials there."

"Be safe, then."

Inuyasha was the one to nod this time, uncertainty filling him like trickling liquid as he continued to question his initial purpose for coming. As he turned on his heel, he felt a little idiotic. There was no plan in the first place, he could finally see that. He'd just given himself a cheap excuse to see her before not being able to for an undetermined period of time. That was it. And now he was walking away prematurely, the realization of just how hopeless he was steadily replacing the uncertainty. Ironically, he liked the feeling. It was new. It held promise.

Suddenly antsy from the distance, the prince swung back around, marching back toward the girl with intention. "For the love of god, would you _please_ try to be home before dark?"

"Oh, I _knew_ it! I knew that wasn't all!"

"I don't think I'm asking for much here!"

"You know, I've been doing this a lot longer than you think, and I've carried my own pretty well!"

"That doesn't mean it has to keep happening! Would you just shut up and listen to me for once?"

"It has to be done, Koga!"

"But why does it have to be done _then? _Why not the next morning?"

"Because Kaede has a lot on her plate being the main pharmacist for an entire town, _and _with her weekly - sometimes multiple times a week - appointments with the princess! She's too old to carry the weight of this all on her own! Besides that, some people are too sick to even get out of bed! It has to be brought to them, and I don't mind being the one to do that!"

He huffed, the sound gruff and long as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Look, can you just do this for me while I'm away?"

"You act like you walk me home every night." Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Just -" Inuyasha groaned, simultaneously frustrated and amused. "Please?"

She pause, fighting a smile. She could see the fire in his eyes. Though there was a hint of venom in his tone, his expression lacked the depth to convince her of anything. He was serious, she could tell that much, but he wasn't quite as flustered as he was letting off. "I'll be fine."

"Kagome."

"I promise." She gently assured. "I've got a heck of an arm."

"Tiny arms." The prince mumbled.

"Keep saying that and I'll show you." She warned.

He chuckled, once more running his fingers through his short, untidy hair. "Just be in one piece when I get back."

As he walked away, Kagome felt a tickling flutter within her belly. From her angle, she could still see the upturn of his lips, swelling the feeling. Her cheeks grew warm, and she finally gave in to the smile, calling out for him. He stopped, looking over his shoulder, bright eyes patiently waiting.

"One condition." She began.

"What's that?"

"You have to be in one piece, too."

Without thought, Inuyasha walked back her way, a finger delicately smoothing over the loose hair that framed her face, pushing it behind her ear. "I'll do my best."

**Three weeks later**

Inuyasha slowed his horse by pulling on the reigns, the steeds of his soldiers' bobbing back and forth nearby as they were welcomed back in the main courtyard by countless smiling faces. It had been a long journey, longer than intended but necessary once he recognized the damage done to his fort and his men.

The prince stepped down to the ground, giving his companion for the venture a pat of appreciation, smoothing over her hair as a handler came to retrieve the reigns from him.

"How was the trip, Your Highness?"

"It was good. Worth it. Thank you." He smiled, giving his mare another pet. "Take good care of her tonight, she deserves the break."

"Of course."

"Uncle!" A high-pitched shout caught his undivided attention, and Inuyasha spun around, pushing his cloak out of the way so he could kneel and catch his young niece running straight at him. Happily, he lifted the little girl up in his arms, holding her close for a long-overdo and very needed hug. "I've missed you!"

"How's it been, kid? You been wreaking havoc in my place like I told you to?"

"You bet! Mama says she much prefers your havoc, because it isn't her problem!"

Inuyasha laughed, not doubting those exact words had come from the queen.

"Papa says he wants to see you as soon as you're back."

"Well, you tell your papa I'll see him once I'm good and ready."

"I'm eight, I'm not stupid." Rin deadpanned, hands resting on Inuyasha's shoulders while he held her at his waist. "I think I've done enough of your dirty work for a while."

"Alright, alright." He drawled, playfully rolling his ember eyes. "I'll go."

"Oh! Can I come with you?" She excitedly bounced in his hold, legs kicking away from his body.

"You can walk me there, but you can't stay."

"Can I announce you?"

"I don't need an announcement." He said, beginning the trek toward the castle, not yet putting the princess down.

"But you could _have one_ if I do it!"

"Alright, but you have to do it perfectly? Just like we practiced."

He placed his niece's feet on the floor just as they reached the inside of the doors, the little girl immediately grabbing his hand and eagerly guiding him toward the king's study. A guard stood outside, opening the door at Inuyasha's nod.

Rin straightened just outside the door, marching in as if she, herself, were a knight, pink dress twirling out as she spun to the right to face her father. "Your Majesty, His Royal Highness Uncle Inuyasha."

Inuyasha dropped his head defeatedly. It wasn't _quite_ how they'd practiced, and he had to stifle his laughter as he imagined his brother's all too unamused face. Composing himself slightly, he entered, nonchalantly holding out his hand for Rin to high-five on her way passed.

"I wish you'd quit teaching her these things." Sesshomaru sighed, closing the book he was reading. The guard shut the door, providing a puff of hair to rustle the king's groomed hair.

"Don't lie, that was cute as hell. You're just devoid of showing any sort of joy." Inuyasha sneered, standing in place in the center of the study.

His brother barely grinned, shaking his head as he crossed the room to greet the prince, grasping his hand and clapping his shoulder with the other.

"What news do you bring?"

"Twelve injured, no deaths. The damage is reparable, and was almost completed by the time we left. Whoever the enemy was had their faces covered, and came from the Northeast, but still no clear indication on who they were. It could have been worse, though."

"Could have been better." The king walked back towards his desk, his straight expression returning as if it'd never left.

"Sesshomaru, they -"

"Were snuck up on. Which means they were not paying attention. Which means they could have failed the kingdom entirely and allowed an attack on our country."

"They fought them off! They won! The fact that someone attempted something in the first place is what we should be worried about!"

"We can only worry so much about what we can't control."

"Funny, coming from someone who tries to control everything." Inuyasha challenged.

"You _will_ bite your tongue, younger brother." Sesshomaru demanded, the venom in his tone all that was necessary to cause the prince to stiffen and silence. "Were your soldiers punished?"

"Twelve were injured, and they're working overtime to repair the fort. I could see the guilt in their eyes. Don't you think that's punishment enough?"

"Will guilt save our kingdom from an invasion?"

Inuyasha didn't answer, swallowing thickly, eyes wavering and dropping from the contact he held with his brother's.

"No. They will undergo more training. Apparently, they need a refresher course on the concept of standing post. If you want to keep these men under your jurisdiction, Inuyasha, I suggest you send out a general. At your earliest convenience, of course." The king cocked a brow, obviously challenging the prince.

Inuyasha clenched his fists, biting back his swelling temper as he nodded curtly. "I understand."

"You're dismissed."

"What about the attackers?"

"I will figure that out."

"I should be involved."

"It was most likely a warning, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru answered directly.

"A warning for _what?_ Isn't that something we should discuss?"

"Is it?" The king stepped inward, a fire growing in his slanted eyes. "What did you find during your investigation? Any kingdom symbols or clues of any sort? Who do you suspect? You have nothing to report back to me, and therefore _you are dismissed!"_

Inuyasha didn't move, his nails pinching into his palms as his fists bunched even tighter. He clenched his jaw shut, controlling his anger to subside so he wouldn't say anything regrettable. His older brother was insufferable sometimes. He looked down on him, often times telling him he was too soft and therefore fell short of what was expected of him. Sesshomaru knew how to manipulate things to work in his favor. He was intelligent and strong-willed, Inuyasha wouldn't be the first to recognize that. It made Sesshomaru a good leader. With that being acknowledged, Inuyasha was also aware that his own methods didn't make him a bad one, either. Revealing his vexation would only show his brother weakness, and he refused.

Breathing the remainder of his indignation away, Inuyasha raised his chin. "If it were another kingdom, they wouldn't have let up at the first sign of resistance. They would have come in with a storm of soldiers. Considering their faces were covered, I suspect bandits testing our strengths. Maybe to see just how much they could get away with, maybe to weaken a portion of our defense, maybe to play the spy. I don't know that much. What I do know is my soldiers stood their ground. Excuse me, sire."

With an about face, the prince promptly exited the study, his cloak rustling behind him.

"Please go." Miroku spoke, finally breaking through the palpable tension in Inuyasha's office. The prince had clearly been fighting the urge to stare out the window, his fingers fidgeting against his pen as his leg impatiently bobbed up and down, and it was getting on the knight's nerves.

Inuyasha froze, ember eyes landing on his aide in the corner. Sango hardly looked up from the files she was sorting through, brown eyes flickering his way, then back to what she was doing. Miroku was solid in his disposition, his posture ill as he sprawled out on the small couch next to his partner.

"Go." He repeated. "Just don't be out too long."

"Go where?" Inuyasha apprehensively asked, a cold creeping through the blood in his veins.

"Please don't play dumb." Sango said, still unfazed.

"You think we don't know where you've been going? We've followed you almost every time."

"Miroku!"

"Just go! Please! Get it out of your system, you're driving me crazy!"

"I'm not doing anything!"

"You're brooding!"

"I am not!"

"Okay, fine." Miroku hopped off the couch, sauntering over to the head of Inuyasha's desk. "How much work have you filled out?"

Inuyasha hastily covered the papers before him with his body, glowering at the knight. "Back off!"

"Let me see!"

"Mind your business!"

"Hey, uh, news flash: In case you've forgotten during your daydreams of Kagome, you literally _are_ my business!"

A wave of heat washed over Inuyasha's face, the words on his tongue dissipating as his stomach fell to the floor. He could feel his face drop, eyes widen - called out and exposed, humiliated, and completely nerve-wracked but too shocked to really do anything about it.

"Come on, _Koga_. Go see her. You and I both know that if you don't do it now, you're just going to cave and sneak out later. You might as well take the open opportunity."

"You really knew?"

"We know a lot of things you probably think we don't." Sango mentioned, the smirk on her lips taunting him.

The prince stared at her incredulously, unsure how to even respond.

"Don't worry, no one else knows." Miroku waved off, walking back over to the couch. "You should have just told us."

"Because you would have let me go?" He defensively asked.

"We haven't stopped you yet."

After a moment, Inuyasha sighed, dropping any idea he had to make an excuse, the tension leaving and deflating his chest. The soul purpose of having Sango and Miroku at his side was to help him with whatever he may need; whether that be protection, information, or guidance. They didn't just work for him though. Over the years, they'd become his closest friends. He trusted them.

"I liked that she had nothing to do with my main life at first. She smiled at me not because it was a polite face to put on in front of royalty, but because I genuinely made her laugh." He admitted, propping his chin up with his fist. His eyes fluttered downward as he thought back to the melodic sound, the memory filling him with the faintest tingle of hope. "In that same regard, she never feels obligated to swallow what she wants to say. And no matter what it is, I always want to hear it. It made me feel normal for a while."

"And what do you feel now?" Sango questioned, setting the files she once worked on aside.

"Scared."

"Why?"

"Because I can't get enough of her."

A smile bloomed on Miroku's face. The prince was justifiably guarded having lived a high-profile life. He couldn't allow just anyone in, and trust was hard for an outsider to earn. Miroku knew Inuyasha better than even his brother, having the close relationship that came with his trusted role, and he can honestly say he's never seen that soft, half-mast expression on his face before.

Ember irises glided up to meet his gaze, and without an ounce of delay, Miroku gestured toward the door with the flick of his eyes. The prince stood from his seat, not bothering to push it in as he promptly left his study.

Inuyasha seamlessly traveled through the halls without attracting any attention. The sun had yet to disappear behind the mountains, creating an amber hue to flood through the windows and reflect off the shining walls inside. Like second nature, he stuck to the barrier dividing the courtyard and the forest, finding his spot and swiftly climbing over.

"I wish you'd let me go for you." Kagome said, petting down the bridge of the nose of Kaede's rich, brown horse.

"It's nothing this old woman can't handle, child." She smiled down at her, the reigns loose in her grip. "I want you to rest tonight. Take the medicine I left for you, it'll help."

"I'm fine." She insisted, ignoring the thickness in her own voice.

"Kagome, dear," The herbalist hid her chuckle behind the back of her hand, a sympathetic curve arching in her brow. "That's impossible to believe when there's a "duh" sound being made at the end of fine."

"Really! It's just allergies!"

"And even if that were true_,_ going into the high mountains to bring back herbs would only make your allergies worse, wouldn't it?"

"But -"

"Bed."

"Kaede -"

"Bed."

"I'm -"

"Don't say it." She openly laughed this time, pulling the hood of her cloak over her head as she prepared to leave. "You've done more than enough lately. There's nothing to worry about. I'll be back by tomorrow evening."

Kagome sighed, the steed bouncing backwards with the pull Kaede gave before they turned around and headed down the paved path at a hastened pace. She stood there, watching them fade to silhouettes in the distance. Kaede was a sneaky one. There were no orders for medication to make, and if there were, they were hidden from Kagome. The one delivery she thought she had to do today was picked up by the man's grandson just under an hour ago. Usually, whenever Kaede went to do anything overnight, Kagome was left a small checklist of things to do or prepare. Today, she found a container with a readied remedy for the common cold with a note that said, "Don't even think about chopping wood."

She couldn't help but feel useless. It was easier to keep busy than keep still as of late, and laying in bed while she was too physically uncomfortable to sleep wasn't exactly going to be the best solution to her restless mind.

Turning around on her heel to walk back, Kagome tried to think of subtle things she could do around the shop that wouldn't be too obvious to tip Kaede off that'd she'd worked. She could clean a little. Get ingredients to bake a pie for her return. How would Kaede even know if she chopped some wood, honestly? She'd just done laundry, and she regretted having that already checked off her list. Alternatively, she could practice shooting with her bow and arrow; her aim was rusty so it could use some work.

"Hey."

Kagome's sights darted up from the ground, landing on the knight she'd been trying so hard not to think about, leaning against the side of her own home. He was dressed semi-formally; a dark grey coat covering most of his torso, the inner hem and sleeve edges lined with gold and rolled up to expose half of his forearms. Beneath, covering his sternum and peeking through, he wore a deep red Bastian shirt, tucked properly within black pants, which in turn were tucked neatly within brown boots, his sword complimenting his attire at his hip.

If it was written in her body language, she didn't mind. There was no attempt to hide how finally seeing him there eased the tension in her shoulders, the soft grin he gave warming her core. She smiled in return, more of relief than anything, sighing out and redirecting her path toward him.

Her cheeks were flushed before she'd even noticed him, lids blinking over dull eyes. As soon as he gathered her attention, a small light returned to her, plush lips parting slowly. Though they weren't as pink as he was used to them being, it was still more than enough to make him glad he came.

She didn't stop walking at any distance, her head drooping slightly as she slowly closed any existing gap, gently resting her forehead against his chest. Inuyasha's hands hovered out to the sides of her, uneasily. He knew something was wrong. If he hadn't heard Kaede talking, he would have clearly seen it in her features. Nonetheless, he'd never expected Kagome to come to him as she had.

"You're back." She breathed, her weight sinking into him just an ounce more. Like a magnet drawing him in, relinquishing his caution, Inuyasha smoothed his fingers through her hair, threading at the crown with one hand while he pushed raven strands out of her face with the other. He could feel heat seeping through his clothing, scorching his flesh, a deep-rooted concern making home in his stomach.

"You okay?"

"Just tired."

The prince ran the back of his fingers over her cheek, leaning away slightly and bending at the knees to get a better look at her face as he grasped her temperature. "You have a fever." He said, and as she gave a wane smile and shook her head, he took her chin between his forefinger and thumb, holding her still to look at him as he stood straight once more.

"It's nothing."

"Don't do that. I told you I wanted you in one piece when I got back."

"And I've yet to fall apart." Kagome smiled cheekily. "I'm perfectly fine."

"Yeah, you look it." He teased, sarcasm heavy in his tone. She grimaced, wrinkling her nose, but he spoke again before she could rebuttal. "Where's the medicine?"

"You're such an eavesdropper!"

"And I've got some fancy ears to support the hobby. Where is it, Kagome?"

She shook her head out of his grip, tucking herself within his chest once more. Her fingers gripped his coat this time, and his arms instinctively wrapped around her.

"It's inside." She murmured, words muffled by his clothes. There was something else there, something causing her to tighten her hold on him. He'd never seen her this way, and though he'd recently found himself wanting to know all there was to her, he wasn't particularly fond of seeing her riddled with any degree of anxiety. When she didn't say anything more, only trusted him to support more weight, he understood she wasn't ready to move from their spot just yet.

"What's wrong?"

"I was worried about you."

Those words sank through his skin, igniting a flame in the cavity of his chest, flickering and popping like kindling encouraging wood to burn.

"I told you, one piece." Inuyasha whispered in response, resting his chin atop her head.


	3. Chapter 3

"Your Majesty…"

"What is it?"

"He isn't in the castle."

There was a pause, tension flooding throughout every crevice of the large room as if a pipe had sprung a heavy leak. Sesshomaru's eyes remained staring out the window, gold steadily sweeping over the horizon of his kingdom.

"Did he notify anyone of this?"

"The guards at the gate haven't seen or heard from him."

The king turned to the two knights standing at ease in the corner, their gazes slanted slightly downward. Their faces were straight, hardly expressive, but it was easy to read the tension riddling their stances.

"Peculiar that we find the both of you on grounds, but not Inuyasha."

Neither responded.

"Miroku."

"Sire." The guard acknowledged thickly.

"Why did I assign you to my brother?"

He couldn't tell if that was meant rhetorically or not, hesitantly flashing his indigo eyes toward him to read his language. The king faced him fully now, lips curved in disapproval, jaw noticeably tensed as he waited. "To be his aide, My Liege."

"And what does that entail?"

"Protecting him, guiding him, assisting him, training him, and educating him if need be."

"It must be hard to maintain your duties when you aren't with him." Sesshomaru raised his chin, staring indignantly at the man.

"Your Maj-"

"You will _not_ speak out of order!" He barked, bringing Sango's mouth to clamp shut, brown eyes darting back down to the floor. His glare flew back to the main person he'd entrusted to the prince, anger hot within his veins. He stepped closer, looking down at the knight before him, his voice coming out venomous. "Where is he?"

—

"You have got to be the clumsiest nymph I've ever met." Inuyasha laughed, hiking the girl up on his back a little higher as he came out of the forest and onto the paved trail. The sun was hidden behind a sky of clouds, the land blanketed in a light shadow, causing a brisk air to blow through the countryside they walked.

"But I got it!" Kagome beamed, holding the plant up before his face once more.

"You seem so proud for someone who just fell and scraped her entire leg." He peered around the green leaves to watch the road until she dropped it from his view.

"Not my _entire_ leg." She giggled. "And I've been looking for one of these for ages! It thrives during the full moon, and during which you can make some really powerful salves."

"Yeah, _if_ you do it right." Inuyasha sneered.

Kagome bounced up slightly, giving a quick, harsh blow on Inuyasha's ear, the silver appendage flicking as he jerked his head away from her. "Don't be rude."

He laughed, swiftly regaining composure. "That's no way to treat someone that's carrying you!"

"Oh, please. You'd never drop me."

"Are you sure?"

"Don't you dare drop me."

Inuyasha let her go, bouncing his knees down for added effect, her bottom falling minutely before he caught hold again. Her arms only clung tighter around his neck, a small squeak escaping her throat as he went and feigned it once more.

"No! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She laughed, resting her head on his shoulder defeatedly after he readjusted her position.

He opened his mouth to say something snarky, to rub it in a little further, but the playful words halted on his tongue as he curved the small bend in the trail and noticed the royally decorated horse standing just outside the apothecary's shop. On its back sat the king's official messenger, small, short, and round, and far too impish to have gotten on that horse on his own. His large eyes landed on the prince, and just as quickly, Inuyasha's smile faded.

Kagome brought her head up to see why he'd stopped, noticing the castle official staring them down, the air of displeasure wafting their way.

"Who's that?" She asked, just above a whisper. Koga had gone slightly rigid, his fingers twitching against her thighs.

"Can you walk?"

She hummed a yes, his nervousness flowing through her and making her equally uneasy. Slowly, the knight let her down, making sure she was fine before completely letting her go. Truth be told, she never needed to be carried in the first place. He insisted in his protective nature, and being close to him was all she ever seemed to want anymore.

"Your Grace, you are requested back at the castle." The messenger stated as he urged his horse a few steps closer to them, his tone frank. "Immediately."

Kagome couldn't help the slight confusion, the haze growing with the passing moments. _Your Grace_ was a way to address royalty, and she was fighting the reaction to look behind her to see if the official was looking through them at a prince or duke she hadn't noticed. Though they were no longer touching, she could feel the tension growing denser in the man at her side. Turning her attention to him, she noticed the flex in his jaw and the thick swallow that bobbed through his throat. He took in a slow drag of breath through his nose, sighing it out as he blinked slowly, his chest not fully deflating.

"Is something wrong?" He hoarsely asked.

"His Majesty, the King demands you back at once. He's called a meeting in the great hall."

"Of course, he did." Inuyasha stiffly glanced down at Kagome, perturb written in the curve of her brow. He wanted to laugh, the absurdity of his situation almost comical. It shouldn't have gone this far for so long, and yet here they were. He was so nervous, so horribly uncomfortable, that he knew if he opened his mouth to speak, an obnoxious chortle would be the only thing that came out. What was he supposed to even tell her? As if casually mentioning that he was a prince this late in the game was remotely acceptable. More importantly, how was she going to react? She had every right to be upset with him, to shut him out, to feel like he betrayed her trust, and those were the very fears that swelled his fraught.

"What's going on?" Kagome softly questioned.

"You! Who are you?" The messenger barked, his steed fidgeting back and forth along the path.

"Uh- I-"

"Jaken." Inuyasha cautioned.

"Do not address the prince so informally! I swear, you peasants are so uncultured!"

She flinched in offense, the man beside her stepping forward before she could even fathom a response.

"That's enough!" He ordered. "_Never_ speak to her that way!"

"Your Grace-"

"I will warn you once: _you_ are the one who should not address _her_ so lowly, do you understand me?"

The authority in his tone, the gruff reverberation, the dangerous slant of his eyes was all almost enough to make Kagome quiver where she stood. If hearing the words from the imp weren't sufficient in throwing her wits out of order, witnessing the man's power in demeanor bring another to bow their head in resentful shame would definitely do the trick.

"My apologies," The messenger apprehensively spoke. "I didn't realize you were a friend of the crown."

"Neither did I." Kagome murmured beneath her breath, unsure how else to respond to whatever was unfolding. The suddenly-proclaimed prince turned back to her, his expression softening, mouth opening but words not immediately coming out.

"I'm sorry." He said, reprehensibly. "I promise, I'll explain later. But I have to go."

He began to back away, regret written vividly on every inch of his face. It was all still processing, hitting her one brick at a time. The man she knew, the man she _thought_ she knew, was royalty and not a knight. He was a prince. He was _the_ prince. As weird as the gesture felt, respectfully, she was supposed to curtsey as he left. Her body felt stiff and it took a lot more effort than she thought to shut her hanging jaw. Picking up the sides of her dress and stepping her right foot back, she dipped an inch or two, bowing her painful grimace down just as he flinched and covered his mouth.

Even as she came back up, the look of clear discomfort was etched in her expression and he hid his stifled snort behind his fingers. She still noticed though, and she shied her eyes to the side in embarrassment.

The situation was just about as bad as it could have gotten, so Inuyasha decidedly kept his mouth shut, backing away until he aligned with his brother's messenger, and turning around to walk through the town alongside the horse.

Inuyasha stepped through the large doors held open by two guards, the clunk of them shutting echoing in the formal chambers. In the upper corner of the room, his two aides stood, briefly turning their heads to notice him enter, then returning to stare at the wall opposite them. At the head of the room, the root of the sliceable tension in the hall, sat Sesshomaru in his large throne, his head held high as he obviously waited for Inuyasha to tread closer. The queen sat just next to him, her own throne a tad smaller than the gaudy chair his brother claimed, her expression unreadable, as per usual.

His footsteps echoed throughout the room, stomach leadened in his abdomen. When he reached a proper distance, the prince halted and bowed his head, meeting his brother's gaze as he came back up.

Sesshomaru had a specific air about him when he was peeved. His ember eyes practically shadowed with flaming ferocity, saying everything his unwaveringly straight expression didn't. He raised his chin to look down on a person, as he was inching upward to do now to Inuyasha, and his lip always gave an upward twitch before stilling as he spoke.

"Tell me, Inuyasha -" He paused, hinging an inch or two forward. "What about Kaede's shop interests you so much."

"By the tone, I'm guessing you already know the answer to that."

Sesshomaru arched a brow, the ends of his short, groomed hair following gravity as he cocked his head to the side indignantly.

"How long as this been going on?"

There was a minor hesitation coming from the prince as he hastily attempted to mentally prepare for the reaction he may receive. "About three months now."

He watched an archaic rigidness riddle the king, his hands gripping the ends of the armrests, his knuckles as white as snow. His muscles had gone so taut, Inuyasha could see the emphasized hollow of his throat as he turned away from him.

"All for a girl?" Sesshomaru asked through clenched teeth.

"Yes." Inuyasha calmly answered.

His brother launched from his seat, storming over to the large window to the right of him in his exasperation. The sun was setting now, though it was hidden behind the other end of the castle, the blue shadows accented by the overcast day shining over Sesshomaru's pale features.

"You've done some stupid things in your life, Inuyasha, but I think you've finally reached a new low!" He looked over his shoulder at him, his fingers rubbing at his chin - another sign that his temper was escalating. It didn't prevent Inuyasha from taking offense, his brows furrowing incredulously. "You're a grown adult, royalty for christ's sake, and you're sneaking out as if you're a rebellious teenager! Has all this privilege oppressed you!?"

"What the hell else was I supposed to do!?"

"Ask! Take your guards! Use your common sense! I'm already the father to a child, I shouldn't have to parent you too!"

"You're blowing this way out of proportion!"

"Am I!?" Sesshomaru stomped back to the center of the room, his boots providing a boisterous echo in his fervor, stopping just in front of his throne. "A fort has been attacked, we don't know who the aggressor was, and you think it's good timing to waltz on out of the castle grounds without protection, _being who you are,_ to go flirt with some commoner!"

"I'm not-"

"No! This is completely irresponsible of you! You aren't just putting yourself in danger, you're putting another in the heap of it too!"

Inuyasha clenched his fists, the blow of his brother's words hitting him full force, like an explosion he was standing too close to. He hadn't thought of that. He hadn't considered any of it.

In the weight of the silence, Sesshomaru sighed out through his nose, the huff still loud enough to be heard throughout the hall, stepping back to drop onto the seat of his throne. He rested his jaw in his hand, his lips covered by his fingers as ember eyes stared half-defeatedly at Inuyasha; as if he didn't know what to do with him. Redirecting his sights, the king looked to the two aides to the side.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't reassign your friends."

Miroku and Sango both looked up, dreaded concern twisting their faces before they stiffly returned to their positions.

"No, Sesshomaru, don't do that." Inuyasha said, slightly shocked that his brother would throw that out there.

"Why not? What purpose are they serving if they were here and you were there?"

"First of all, I don't need to constantly have them with me. It's okay to let the reigns loose once in a while, I'm a person not a horse. Second, you obviously found me, and I'm gonna guess they were the ones that told you where I was."

Sesshomaru gave a nod, his fingers splaying out in an effortless shrug.

"I never told them." He admitted, unable to fight his glance towards Miroku, briefly meeting his aide's indigo eyes before he pierced Sesshomaru with a steadfast stare. "I thought I was getting away with it for a good while before Miroku called me out. They'd been following me from the beginning. The two of them knew where I was, what I was doing, and who I was with every single time, _meaning_ they were doing their jobs and they were doing it well."

"I'll give them the former, but not the latter."

"This is my fault, don't punish them!"

"They knew you were having inappropriate rendezvous with a _commoner_ and didn't think to tell me. These are things I need to know." The king said, distastefully.

Inuyasha's blood began to boil, his skin growing hot, swallowing the further infuriation as his older brother gave an arrogant cock of his head. "Don't say it like that." He ordered gruffly.

"That, alone -"

"Don't say commoner like it's something disgusting!"

There was a flash in Sesshomaru's eyes at the insolent tone, his lips remaining slightly pursed from the word he was cut off on until he gradually straightened his spine and raised his chin. "You're royalty, Inuyasha."

"That's pretty hypocritical of you, don't you think?" When he didn't receive an answer, the prince continued, neither his glare nor nerve wavering. "Didn't seem so disgusting when you were adopting one."

Sesshomaru's entire body reacted, the vibrations of his deadly growl bouncing off the walls. Even the queen's eyes widened, her head rolling in absolute appall.

"That is different!" The king barked, standing from his seat once more, this time marching his way over to his impertinent younger brother. "She was a toddler! She didn't know any difference between the common world and ours!"

"That's a load of shit and you know it! She was old enough to understand the difference between the hell hole she came from and the life she has now! She was brought up in rags and she's _still_ suffering the effects of the environment she lived in, but that didn't stop you from bringing her home!"

"Inuyasha!"

"And you're wrapped around her little finger!" Inuyasha shouted, even as Sesshomaru stopped his trek a mere foot away from his face. "So is Kagura! So am I! So is every damn knight and caretaker in this goddamn castle! It didn't matter if she was a peasant, or a commoner, or an orphan, or what have you."

"The difference, little brother, is that Rin is a child. This woman you've been seeing is an adult - I would hope - and therefore is willing to manipulate to climb higher in this world." Sesshomaru claimed, venom laced in every syllable he spoke. "I hate to be the one to break it to you, but there's a very high chance she's only using you for your status."

Inuyasha could feel his temper marginally dwindling, the heat in his face dying off. Still, he gave it a moment before he spoke again. Sesshomaru was bold in his accusation, but it was admittedly a fair one. It made sense. But he was wrong in this instance and it gave Inuyasha the upper hand.

"Yeah?" His voice came out rough, low, slightly challenging but still much calmer than before, and his brother pushed on his heel to head back toward his throne, not even bothering to look back at Inuyasha as he muttered a "Yeah." in confirmation. "Funny, considering up until thirty minutes ago she had no idea who I was."

Sesshomaru turned back in surprise, stopping mid-stride, his expression twisted disbelievingly.

"Yeah, I made that face too. It's true, though."

"I don't understand. How?"

"It's possible. There's a lot of people and a lot of land outside those gates, and she's one of the few that prefers to keep her head down and go about her business. I don't think she was born here, either, so throw that into the mix and you've got yourself an oblivious girl."

"For three months, she hasn't known who you are?"

"I told her I was a guard and gave her a fake name. So, you're wrong. It wasn't about power to her, because as far as she knew, I had none."

Sesshomaru leaned against the arm of his throne, eyes traveling downward as if pondering the situation. When he opened his mouth, the click from his tongue met Inuyasha's ears. "You've been lying to her."

"I have." Inuyasha's head hung at the acknowledgment, ashamedly.

"What did you plan to get out of that? You lecture me for talking down on a commoner, but yet here you are taking advantage of that same one. Was it a game to you?"

"No! It wasn't like that!"

Sesshomaru shrugged his brows expectantly, a gesture that told Inuyasha to enlighten him.

"You've got an even higher profile than me, so what would _you_ do for a day if no one knew who you were? No limitations, no responsibilities, no expectations. One day." His brother didn't answer, though he could see the unsteadiness in his eyes. Maybe he didn't understand Inuyasha's approach, maybe he was contemplating the freedom. He couldn't tell. So, he shifted his attention to the queen, desperation beginning to expand in his chest. "Kagura?"

She leaned to the side, her elbow propping her up on the armrest as her body sank down. She'd thought about this before. She was born into nobility, too, and she fully knew what it was like to be kept on a short leash. When she married into royalty, that leash became even more restricted.

"I'd go as far as possible to see as much as possible in the span of twenty-four hours." The queen confessed, a hint of longing written in her expression.

"Wouldn't it be hard not to get addicted to that feeling?"

"I can only imagine." She chuckled.

"It got out of hand, I can fully admit that." The prince stated, turning back to his brother. "I met her on accident, and it all spiraled from there. Next thing I knew - I can't even say I didn't_ want _to stay away from her - I _couldn't_ stay from her. I went from not understanding what was happening, myself, to not knowing what to do, to suddenly wanting everything to change. When you've dug your grave that deep, though, apparently the only way to climb your way out is with the help of an outspoken imp." Inuyasha scorned.

Sesshomaru dropped down into his seat, slumping, raking his fingers through his hair as he heaved a sigh. "What the hell were you thinking? You're such a prick."

The prince blinked in surprise, not expecting Sesshomaru to switch from king to brother so swiftly. "I was gonna tell her!"

"And what did you want to come of that?"

"I don't -" Inuyasha's ember eyes drifted to the floor, not really having thought of that, himself. The question was heavy on his shoulders, his stomach suddenly uneasy, words thick in his throat. "I don't know."

"Does she have feelings for you?"

"I don't know."

Sesshomaru grimaced, rolling his head to the side dramatically before grunting huskily. "I really don't want to know the answer to this, but I technically _have_ to ask: Do you love her?"

He hung his head lower at that question, honestly not knowing the answer. He hadn't fully evaluated his feelings just yet, finding avoiding them much, much easier. Every time he'd previously tried figuring out why he was so attached to her, he got flustered and confused, like he'd been presented with the most difficult riddle of all time. All he was sure of was she was constantly on his mind. Sometimes it was frustrating. Sometimes it was alleviating. When he was with her, and he saw her smile, and the backs of their knuckles grazed or the scent of her hair blew in his direction or she wore that red dress that fit so well on her or she looked at him as if she trusted him with her life, he felt a warmth growing inside of him that could rival the heat of flames. And all over again, he was unsure.

He heard the clenched sigh omitted from his brother, and though he didn't look up, he could imagine Sesshomaru pinching the bridge of his nose in displeasure. "Well, you'll have plenty of time to figure that out. For the next three weeks, you'll be on house arrest."

"House arrest!?" Inuyasha echoed incredulously.

"Rebellious teenagers get grounded for their actions. I'll just consider this practice for when Rin gets older." The king smiled. "You won't be stepping foot outside of this castle. Not even in the courtyards. You want fresh air, open a window. You'll catch up with your paperwork, and if you're feeling antsy, utilize that energy and get ahead. You won't be lonely, though, don't worry. Wherever you go, you'll have your aides. The bathroom, the kitchen, your chambers, they'll be with you. Consider it an extended sleepover."

"Bro..."

"When this is done and over with, we'll discuss, as you said, _loosening the reigns. _Until then -" Sesshomaru shrugged smugly. "You're all dismissed."

Inuyasha blinked to cover the exasperated roll of his eyes, waiting for his aides to saunter over to his side before he turned on his heel to march out the door. There was no point in even _thinking_ of fighting his punishment no matter how badly he wanted. Quite frankly, he wasn't all that surprised by what he'd received. If he gave into his temper, though, Sesshomaru would only use it against him, and things would potentially get worse. He knew. He'd learned the hard way.

"Maybe next time you'll consider acting your age." His brother baited after, the hint of arrogance on his tongue. Inuyasha stuck his middle finger up behind him, flexing his jaw in agitation as he exited the room.

"Are you freaking crazy!?" Miroku started, flailing his arms as he followed the prince about his room. "What about that meeting didn't you take seriously!? I honestly thought he was going to deck you when you brought up Rin! Do you really want to push the boundaries and see if he does this time!?"

"I've been punched by him before." Inuyasha snorted, opening his large, walk-in closet and shifting through his shirts, hardly phased by Miroku's disposition. "It's not that bad. His right arm's weak."

"Inuyasha, honestly, would it kill you to just listen for once?"

"No." He answered simply.

"Then why are you doing this?"

"Because I don't want to listen right _now._" He grabbed a black Bastian shirt he favored, one that fit him nicely and had a simple collar - unlike the frilly sort his brother opted for. Exiting the closet, he set the shirt on the head of a cushioned chair, peeling the one he wore from his chest and dropping it to the floor. Inuyasha spared a glance at the flustered man, noticing the unsteadiness in his deep eyes, bringing the prince's resolve to cave. "Look, she found out the truth in the worst way possible. Don't you think she deserves to know what's going on?"

"Yes. I'll go to tell her."

"From me!"

"Write her a letter!"

Inuyasha shot him a look of warning, ember eyes telling him he wouldn't be backing down from this. Miroku understood where he was coming from, he wasn't naive. He and Kagome had a bond, and if she was going to receive an explanation from anyone, it should be him. The problem he had was that even after having their asses handed to them on a silver platter, Inuyasha still wanted to go behind the king's back just a couple of hours later. Miroku knew the prince, though. He was stubborn when he set his mind to something, and that expression he'd just given was more powerful than words telling him to back off.

With a loud and aggravated groan, Miroku dropped his head back, flexing his fingers to control some of the frustration. "One condition!"

Inuyasha picked up the fresh shirt, straightening it out and shoving his arms through, stopping before he pulled it over his head to see what Miroku had to say. His aide's lips were curved down in condemnation, cheeks slightly flushed from his unnerved demeanor.

"This is the only time."

The prince agreed with a nod. "I just want to tell her, myself."

It had been hours and still Kagome couldn't wrap her head around what had happened. The entire thing was almost surreal, and she was left behind as if it was easy information to absorb. She was confused, confounded, and horribly humiliated, and she didn't know if there was one specific emotion overpowering them all and causing the overbearing discomfort fluttering in her chest, or if all three were rioting together.

How was she supposed to feel right now? Was this a normal thing to encounter? Because quite frankly, Kagome had never met a prince incognito before. A part of her was offended that she'd been strung along for so long, but then she wondered: was he even allowed to tell her who he was? That theory didn't make sense when she considered how blatantly that Jaken guy yelled at her just for speaking to him. If he couldn't say who he was, a castle official would know not to blurt out his secret. She couldn't help but wonder how he expected her to react to all of this. It was sprung on her out of no where, and with how quickly he left with the imp, she was left feeling like a bucket of ice cold water was dumped over her head. Was she supposed to immediately understand? Think of him as the mysterious, cool prince from this point forward? Kagome didn't at all think of him as cool at the moment. Truthfully, the thought of him made her stomach queasy.

What plagued her mind most of all, though, was how she never realized who he was. This man she'd been calling "Koga" for just about ninety days now was, in fact, Prince Inuyasha. Kagome softly dragged the tip of her finger over an old, black and white article of the royal family, the candid image snapped of him portraying a straight-faced, crown-clad man staring off to the side. He was the _prince_, and she called him _Koga_. She was such an idiot.

Cruel. It felt cruel to imagine him laughing, thinking the same of her.

In a meager attempt to calm her nerves, Kagome flipped the article facedown, sauntering over to the pot that barely began to whistle on the stove to remove it. Carefully, she poured hot water into the waiting mug for tea, picking up the cup and allowing the heat to wash over her palms, soothing out some of the crinkles of worry.

She'd trusted him. Was she nothing but a joke?

Kagome watched the swirl of bland colors flowing from the teabag, patterns being drawn in the water, drifting upward until blending to create a backdrop of auburn and olive. As she leaned there against the counter, unmoving, silent, even her breaths shallow and short, she felt as if her home were completely empty and barren, no sense of comfort, brown eyes focused on the steeping drink, blurring, a breeze causing a loud creek to settle the walls.

A light rasp at the door was enough to startle her, a breathy gasp leaving her lips as her arms tensed and clung closer to her torso, tea spilling from the mug and stinging her fingers. Quickly, she placed the cup on the counter so she could wipe her hands on her dress, hoping the burning would cease if she removed any traces of the liquid.

She had a slight suspicion of who was at the door, and her stomach was in shambles, a lump gradually building in her throat while she turned to face it. No matter how unsure she was, no matter how muddled her thoughts or how embarrassed she felt, a natural, magnetic force moved her feet toward the door. And as she got closer, her hand outstretched to twist the knob, she'd realized just how shaky she'd become.

Where she'd expected the silver-haired liar to be standing, she found a slightly taller, slightly tanner, casually dressed, dark-haired man. He'd propped most of his weight on one hip, arms crossed over his chest with a pleasant smile on his face, donning a long sleeve, black shirt with light pants that tucked into his boots. His hair beat her own in length, tied back at the crown of his head, eyes a sharp blue that stood out brightly in the night.

"I take it you're Kagome." He spoke, his tone low and gruff.

"Yes?" She asked more than stated.

"Good. Princey boy would like to know if you'd be willing to meet up with him?"

Kagome's brows pinched together, processing the request a little slower than what was normal for her. "Where?"

"Just outside the walls of the castle."

"When?"

"Now." The man shrugged.

She huffed, sending the puff of air upward, the middle of her bangs fluttering and tickling her forehead. "What for?" She asked, irritation beginning to pool in her abdomen.

"He got into a bit of trouble earlier and isn't allowed to leave the grounds. Technically, he's not allowed to leave the castle, but the guy's gutsy and likes to push boundaries more often than he should. He said he needed to talk to you."

He'd promised to explain what was going on. A part of her hadn't expected him to pull through so quickly, let alone at all. She'd be lying if she said she didn't trust his word, though. As foolish as that seemed at this point.

"Alright." She solemnly agreed. "I'll head over there in a moment."

The man didn't budge from his spot, cocking a brow as he pursed his lips.

"You're here to escort me, aren't you?" She asked dryly.

"Yup."

"I can walk myself."

"He told me you'd say that."

"No. This isn't how it's gonna work. You haven't even told me who you are. I'm just supposed to walk with you because the _prince_ said so?"

"Oh, sorry. You must have forgotten, we've already met. My name's Koga, I'm a knight for the crown." He said humorously.

Kagome gave a tedious nod, scrunching her nose. "Of course, you are." He chuckled and she rolled her eyes as she stepped out of her house.

"It's cold out tonight, miss. Grab a cloak."

With a groan, the sound not all that noticeable as she clenched it in her throat, she whipped back around, heading inside to grab the forest green cloak that hung on the wall.

"What are you, my mother?"

"He told me you'd say something like that, too." Koga laughed.

They walked through the back path in silence. He'd tried breaking the tension with small talk, but the girl only managed small responses, coming off guarded as she hugged her arms over her waist. He couldn't really blame her, so out of respect, he stopped talking. It was hard to feel comfortable around people you didn't know, people you had no choice but to walk in the dead of night with. He was there more for her protection than anything, but he could understand her natural disposition, especially after the shock she'd had just earlier that day.

"So," Kagome tried, her voice soft in the ongoing awkwardness. There'd been a question on her mind, tugging and twisting at her already-muddled thoughts, and she wanted it cleared. "Is your name really Koga or is this just a game you're playing along with?"

"No, my name's really Koga." The knight assured. "I'm really a knight, I'm really working for Inuyasha, and I'm really not planning on ever letting him live this down."

"Why did he send _you?" _She asked, without malice.

"I'm the sneakiest errand boy he's got. And his other two guys have to be glued to him twenty-four-seven now. Believe me, it's a mess of a situation they've gotten themselves into. I swear, I'm not here to be salt in the wound."

They rounded a bend in the route, the lights emanating from the castle catching her attention through the breaks in the trees. It wasn't a sight she got to peer on often unless she was doing a late delivery of medicine in town. The shop and her own cottage were too far to catch a clear glimpse, and the forest curved and tucked them away on the border of the countryside. It was gorgeous, the brick walls of the castle aged but kempt, the high towers glistening with amber lights, pointed and seemingly grazing the dark clouds in the sky. As they neared closer, just moments away from the boundaries that protected it, the place became hauntingly daunting, bringing her to shy her eyes down to the path they walked.

Koga gently grabbed her elbow, guiding her over a thick root that broke from the earth, not yet letting go until he peeked around the corner of the wall and proceeded a few feet around once he determined it was clear.

"Okay, did you see that marked tree that we just passed? The one with the "x" carved in it?" He asked, curving around to the front of her. She gave a subtle nod as she thought, the gesture becoming more prominent as she firmly confirmed. "I'm gonna be right over there when you're done talking. Come find me and I'll walk you home. Watch out for that root, even I've taken some nasty falls over it."

"Kay." Kagome gifted him a soft smile, watching the man swiftly and easily climb into a nearby tree, hopping on and over the brick wall she stood beside.

The forest was talkative tonight, crickets playing their music to the beat of the leaves rustling in the breeze. Though it was chilly, she pushed the edges of her cloak away from her core and over her shoulders, allowing the whispering wind to ripple the long sleeves of her chemise.

"Please don't curtsey again, you're awful at it." The familiar voice came from behind her, and Kagome whipped around, startled. If he was expecting her to smile, or laugh off the jab, he was sorely mistaken. Humor was far from what she felt at the moment, and her lips only moved to seal as he stepped closer. There was a cautious smile on his face, one that dwindled away as she continuously failed to reply. "Hi." He tried, the word coming out as if he were breathless.

All she could muster was the lackluster shrug of her brows, not quite knowing what to say to the prince. Even a simple greeting seemed difficult to forge, the flurry in her stomach rampaging unnervingly.

"How's your leg?"

Kagome nodded, as if to say it was fine, bringing a defeated sigh from his chest.

"I planned to tell you. I'd hoped for it to come out a little more tactfully than that. I just didn't know when the right time would be." Inuyasha began, wishing she would respond at least a little to him. He deserved this, he knew. That didn't make it any easier to face. Nervously, he shook his head with a chuckle. "I should have never lied from the beginning, I get that. I've heard it from everyone. It was on a whim, and I grasped for the chance to not be me for just a moment. And that's not an excuse, that doesn't make it okay. That's the mindset I was in, though, and I wanted you to know that."

He watched her dark eyes drift downward, the color shadowed by the night, her bottom lip being sucked in and slowly raked along her teeth.

"Kagome, please say something."

She was trying to comprehend the mess of things, unable to help that she felt a little irate beneath it all. Crudely, she directed her stare back up to his. "What would you like me to say?"

"I don't know. Anything."

"Why would you let it go on for so long?"

"I didn't know how to tell you."

"You could have tried."

"It's not that simple."

"Was it _fun?" _She asked spitefully.

Inuyasha's shoulders slowly sagged, further and further, as low as they could anatomically go as whatever was left of his pride deflated to nothing. It was painful; that look on her face, that sad quiver in her lip that was masked with anger, and the lights shining from the castle hit her reddened cheeks imperfectly. It took too much willpower not to drop his gaze from her face. "Yes, but not for the reason you're thinking." He carefully admitted. At the slight twist of her expression, he pushed forward. "When we met, it was liberating to not be recognized. To hold a normal conversation. I knew if I told you who I was, that'd all end, and I didn't want that. I need you to understand that I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you - _hey!_ I wouldn't!" Inuyasha insisted as she resentfully rolled her head away from him, crossing her arms over her chest. "I didn't know how you'd react, but for the first time, I didn't have to put up a front with someone."

"You put on an even _larger_ front."

"No." He boldly and firmly denied. "I gave you a fake name, but that was me you knew. I didn't lie about anything else."

"You're a knight?"

"I'm the prince, I lead the knights." She had no rebuttal to that, her arms falling to her sides, and as her eyes held steady on him for the first time that evening, Inuyasha continued. "I messed up. I'm not trying to cover for that. I just never expected to find this along the way and I was scared of losing it."

For a small moment, she took him in, the vulnerability of his statement too real to discredit. "Find what?"

Inuyasha's lips sealed, too tense to respond immediately. Pushing through the heat, the uncertainty of how she'd feel, the hesitation, the never ceasing, rampant disturbance in his chest, he willed himself to give her one more admittance for the night. "You. This feeling. With you."

The woodlands quieted in that instance, the only sounds Kagome could hear from then on was his breathing, his footsteps inching closer to her, the sincerity in his tone. She was scared. Was she allowed to feel anything for him, or allowed to confess what was already there? Would it matter? Was it the same emotion that he was talking about? She swallowed thickly, attempting to maintain an outward composure. She needed to give him something, he deserved a response.

"I get it. I understand why you hid who you are. It can't be easy being in your position." Her voice wavered once or twice, and she worried it was a reflection of her trembling fingers.

"Are you upset?"

"I just feel really stupid. What's worse is even after I found out, I still didn't believe you were the prince."

"Why not?"

"Prince's are supposed to be charming." Kagome shrugged. Inuyasha laughed at the knock, running his fingers through his tousled hair.

"Should've seen that coming." He said, voice husky.

"So, how much trouble are you in?"

"I am on house arrest for the next three weeks for sneaking out to see you so often."

"Which you've done again tonight." She mentioned, watching him nod proudly. "Get back inside."

"I'll see you in three weeks."

Kagome gave a curt, somewhat shallow nod, stepping around him to end their meeting for what felt like moments too soon. Rashly, the prince reached for her arm, dissatisfied with the expression on her face. What did he have to do to make it fade away? As her attention flew back to him, his palm glided down her sleeve, his grip on her hand so gentle she could have slipped away at any moment.

But she didn't.

"Hey," He whispered, making sure she solidly met his gaze. "I'm sorry."

She sucked in a deep drag of breath, her attitude shifting as she efficiently swung her fist and punched the prince in his arm.

"Christ!" He cried, dropping her hand in favor of rubbing out the spot she'd just hit. "You really do have a hell of an arm."

"That's what you get." She said, shaking out the hand she'd assaulted him with. Gradually, her lips pulled into a smile, sending an alarming tingle through his stomach. "I'll see you later," Kagome paused, briefly nibbling her bottom lip. "Inuyasha."

He swore, even through the uneasiness between them that would settle with time, the sound of his own name never seemed so wonderful.


	4. Chapter 4

Inuyasha had been so cooped up, so watched, practically felt as if every guard in the goddamn castle had been breathing down his neck that even the strikingly cold air of the midnight streets wasn't enough to provide instant, washing relief. He couldn't take it anymore. His house arrest was two days from being lifted, but another forty-eight hours straight of _that_ would be his absolute undoing; he was sure he'd lose his mind. While he initially got a minor break from it all tonight, he decidedly reached for more before risking a huge blow out. Really, his escape was for the benefit of the _entire_ household.

It wasn't unheard of that Inuyasha would get a tad bit grouchy during the night of the new moon. His heightened senses became stifled, his powers completely disappeared, he felt like lifting a fifty-pound box would wind him, and his hair always tickled the tops of his human ears. It was nights like these that made him miss his longer hair, because at least he could pull it back then. Little did everyone know, he played it up. Dramatized. Exaggerated, if you will. This way literally no one wanted to be around him and he was effectively left alone. Tonight, with his temperament as it was, even the king felt bad for the two aides he'd personally glued to the prince's side, allotting them a night off and leaving Inuyasha in peace for the first time in nineteen days.

Unbeknownst to them, he actually didn't completely mind his human nights. Sure, it was uncomfortable not being in his own skin for twelve hours, but he realized very early on that hardly anyone recognized him without his demon traits. If they didn't know his secret, he blended with the crowd. He's tested the waters over the years and he's realized he could get away with basically walking right out the front gates. Inuyasha could stroll through town without so much as a glance in his direction from the night life. He's sat at bars and ordered drinks, claiming to be a passerby and no one questioned it. If the discomfort was a price he had to pay for this, mark it as sold in bold, red letters.

He wasn't the type to take advantage of the opportunity every month, as unbelievable as that may seem. If he did so, he knew he'd tip people off. Then, his brother would never allow him solitude again in his life. If he was respectful with the time he stole, they'd never catch on, and the human nights he endured indoors were still, at least, bearable and spent alone.

He'd be stupid if he didn't hop the wall tonight, though.

He needed a drink. He deserved a drink. He was getting a drink.

The streets were still. It had rained earlier in the day, the stone path remaining damp, and most people were huddled inside to shield from the threat of further onslaught. As he sighed out, finally feeling a fragment of the weight lift from his shoulders, a visible puff of air appeared before his face, reminding him that winter was far from over. They'd yet to see snow, though, and he wondered, as the overcast days carried one-after-the other, if they'd be graced by the first fall soon.

Engulfing himself in the calm as he trekked through the quiet town, the prince took a moment to assess his surroundings, always finding the lack of depth to his hearing frustrating but intriguing. People could easily sneak up on him now, but things sounded different; less magnified. His boots along the ground created a sloshing noise as he stepped through the moisture, small drops from splashed puddles easily unheard. In the distance, as he spotted the tavern he favored, windows illuminated yellow and silhouettes bobbing through, he could just barely hear the rowdiness he knew was taking place inside. Wind chimes weren't obnoxious as the cold breeze pushed them together, and as he further adjusted to being human, he didn't quite feel like his ears were so stuffed up anymore, catching the feint sound of a female's gasp.

Inuyasha's hand had been outstretched to grab the knob, freezing when he'd caught the breathy pitch. Waiting where he stood, he shifted his head toward the sound, waiting to see if he'd hear it again. When he heard a man's voice, the words unclear but the tone holding a threat, he backed away from the door, searching for the unnerving source.

He passed through the narrow alleyway between a large building and the tavern, coming out on an easier path. When he heard more talking, more hissed statements and grunting, he knew he'd followed in the right direction, stepping as lightly as possible so as not to inform anyone he was coming.

Kagome pushed the hands extending out to her away, staring the dirty man in the eye as she once again told him to back off. He hadn't liked it the first time she'd told him, nor the second, nor the third, and she could guarantee he wouldn't like the fourth or fifth because she was only getting feistier. From the beginning, she knew there was something she hadn't liked about the man. He'd follow her, flirt, touch her dress, and pretend they were friends. He was usually easy to disregard in the moment, having to shake off the encounter after it was over, but tonight he was belligerently drunk and his pushiness was to a whole new level.

She was out delivering medicine to an elderly couple who'd come down with the flu. It was late. She'd kept the hood of her cloak over her head to cover her from the cold and help her keep her head down, something every woman was forced to do; as if their clothes were a form of safety. It didn't stop him from spotting her, it didn't stop him from asking her to go home with him, and it didn't stop him from pulling the hood from her head to antagonize.

No matter what she did, no matter what route she took, he never left her side, his sweet-talking slurred and dark eyes persistent. She tried not to look at him, not even to study his features so she could report him the next day, fearing any attention from her would only serve to encourage his pursuit. Kagome had tried looking for someone on the streets she could pretend she knew in order to shake the guy, but there wasn't a soul in sight. It had gotten to the point where she didn't know what else to do but run home, but what if he followed? He'd know where she lived. He'd know where she worked. Her fingers trembled beneath the dark cloak she wore, and she could feel her bottom lip beginning to betray her too.

Until he touched her.

Kagome quickly and fervently pushed the man away, fear shifting to pugnacity, furiously warning him to leave her alone. That was the first time she'd noticed the tattoo in the center of his forehead, an unusual thing to see on anyone in these parts. The man became angry, gripping her by the arms and backing her into an alley, only stopping when her backside collided with a brick wall and he couldn't move any further. Utilizing the solidity of the wall, Kagome pushed off of it and shoved her assailant away, but he shot right back to her, stronger, faster, his breath reeking of rum. He was hoarsely calling her offensive names, all of which she'd accept over vile threats, holding her against the wall with his close proximity until he successfully gathered her struggling arms by the wrists and pinned them together against the bricks. Her body had followed the direction of his pull, torso folding to the side, closing her front from him but making her all the more vulnerable.

"Hey!" Even the barked word, obviously meant to call order, made her flinch, every nerve in her body flared and hypersensitive. Whoever it was stood on the opposite side her arms were pulled to, and though she was only at a small angle, the assailant's face was too close to hers for her to be able to turn and see. "Let her go!"

Inuyasha stood at the entrance to the alleyway, one hand braced on the sword at his hip as he observed the scene before him. Even from the side, he noticed the dramatic roll of the attacker's eyes just before he was kind enough to spare the prince a brief glance, letting out a disgruntled sigh before speaking.

"Mind your business."

"I could tell you the same thing." Inuyasha retorted, taking a step forward. He wasn't really trying to get a good look at the woman, his eyes steadfast on the muggy-looking culprit. The situation wasn't hard to assess; he was coming onto her, she wasn't having it, the situation escalated, and there was no way it was going any further than that. "Doesn't look like she's all that interested in you."

The man chuckled, almost arrogantly, looking back to the woman he restrained. Her wrists were only held together with one hand now, the other grabbing her cheeks to look at him. "Tell the nice man you're having a good time."

She wriggled violently at his grasp in response, grunting as she managed to push him away minutely before he dropped her wrists, grabbed the back of her cloak, and spun her around to face the wall, her direction flying toward Inuyasha as her cheek collided with the rough bricks, scraping downward as the assaulter grabbed her dark hair and dragged with his unbalanced feet. She whimpered in pain, the sound broken and high-pitched. The prince had begun to move in to stop the struggle, but his feet froze as her face became visible. All too quickly, a flash of molten heat soared through his veins, burning through his own skin. Kagome.

His stomach leadened, something snapping in his chest as his feet marched forward once more, a scowl forming so heavily on his face that his brows twitched. The man recoiled a bit when he noticed there was no reserve to Inuyasha's stride, but he wasn't able to move any further before the prince gripped the front of his coat and threw him back against the opposite wall, admittedly with more fervor to make up for his lack of demonic strength.

"You chose the wrong fucking girl." He seethed, unthinkingly swinging his fist at the attacker's face. Surprisingly, the man was quick, sliding his head to the side in time. Inuyasha's knuckles collided with the coarse bricks, stinging a hell of a lot worse than it would have had he not been human.

The guy wobbled on his feet in his intoxicated stupor, sloppily tossing himself at the prince to fight back, and it didn't take much effort to grab hold of the man to slam him against the wall once more. Flicking the butt of the handle of his sword out, Inuyasha shoved the blunt end into the assailant's diaphragm with force, knocking the wind right out of him and ceasing his struggling. As he dropped his sword back into place, the prince gripped the front of the guys coat with vehemency, pulling him forward and thrusting him back into the wall in his wild fury.

"You wanna make things really fun? Go ahead and run as fast and as far as you can, because come tomorrow, you're gonna be hunted down like the scum you are." Inuyasha growled, his tone dangerous and hoarse.

"What the hell are you talking about?" The tattoo'd man asked, still wheezing.

"I've got more important things to do right now so I can't toss you to the dogs, myself, but believe me, knights will be after you before you know it."

"What makes you think you've got any power that the crown will care what you have to say?" He menacingly chuckled.

"You think I need power!?" Inuyasha almost laughed, himself, the audacity of the claim almost comical. "You must not be from here. You see, women and children are well-protected in this country. All I've gotta do is tell them what I saw, that you've got a pretty, little tattoo on your face and a long braid to boot, and you'll be behind bars before noon. Not to mention, I've got your scent all over me. They'll sniff you out, and given the power that I _do_ have, as a little favor they'll rough you up before dragging you back."

Inuyasha shoved him back as he dropped his grip, taking two steps away but keeping his eyes glued to the vile human before him. The man was breathing heavily through his nose, huffing as he visibly shook from the amount of tension riddling him, almost as if he was trying to portray self control and not launch to fight Inuyasha. The prince silently wished he would; he wanted another opportunity to swing at his face.

"If I were you, I'd take me seriously." He said. Slowly, the assailant walked away, dark eyes still trained on the prince before he reached the opening of the alley, turning and walking away.

Kagome had backed herself into a small corner, watching stiffly as the scene had unfolded. Her offended cheek burned, her forehead had broken out into a cold sweat, and her fingers shook uncontrollably. She knew that voice, but she couldn't, for the life of her, tell who it was. His dark hair almost completely blended with the night, a deceiving hint of mocha catching her eye. His chest heaved up and down as he watched her assaulter leave, and once he'd gone, a considerable amount of pressure lifting from the alley, her savior only turned her way by three inches.

The curve of his cheek, the sharp angle of his jaw. Her eyes narrowed, wondering how he looked so familiar but so different at the same time. For someone that had protected her so fiercely, why did he seem so resistant to look at her? _The wrong girl..._

"Are you okay?" He asked. Anger was still rolling off of him, the question coming out low and gruff. It made her even more apprehensive, still tucked in her corner, forgetting he was looking for her to speak.

"Y-yeah." Kagome nodded, voice clenched in her throat.

"Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine." She breathed more than stated. Something about him was pulling her in. He was irate, body language uninviting, but her feet followed the tug and cautiously stepped out of her nook, inching to him. He seemed to know her. She definitely recognized him. All the more, she wanted to see the face of the man that saved her. To thank him.

He glanced a little further back, probably catching her movement in his peripherals, and her stomach ignited in a flurry. She _knew_ those eyes, that nose, those lips, that chin, his voice, his shoulders, the way he went rigid when things weren't right. Why did he appear so different right now? Why wasn't he looking at her? The reluctance she was receiving from him was putting her further on edge. She was already scared, already fighting to hold herself together, and the one person she felt sturdiest with wouldn't even pay her much mind.

Kagome began second guessing herself. Maybe he was merely a doppelgänger. Maybe his mention of _choosing the wrong girl_ was just something he said in the heat of the moment. That didn't make her feet stop, or prevent her lip from quivering as she felt a heavy weight sink into the cavity of her chest as he turned minutely away from her.

"Inuyasha?" The name was whimpered, but she couldn't control the sound. He jerked around, eyes wide with bafflement as she finally got the full look she'd been searching for. It was him.

No one had ever recognized him before. It took all he had to not check his fingers to see if he'd received his demon traits back prematurely. How the hell did she know? How could she tell?

"Did you - uh - did you dye your hair?"

"Are you fucking kidding me, Kagome!?" The prince shouted in exasperation, causing the girl before him to wince. She seemed smaller than usual, fragile, and instantly he regretted the lash out. Sighing out thickly, Inuyasha worked to compose himself. He was livid. She could have been hurt. What would have happened to her if he hadn't have shown up? "How many times have I told you not to be out late?"

Kagome's eyes shied away, her plush, bottom lip unsteady as her shoulders raised beneath her cloak. In the slit down the middle, he could see her fingers fidgeting over the other, trembling as she busied them. "I had to." She feebly defended. "I'm sorry."

And he broke.

Inuyasha reached out and snatched her cloak, pulling the girl into his chest, his arms wrapping around to hold her tight as she shook against his frame. Slowly, unfurling from herself, Kagome snaked her hands within his open jacket, wrapping them around his waist as she further buried her face in his shirt. He threaded his fingers through her hair, petting down to her neck, threading at the crown again and gently massaging her scalp.

"It's not your fault." He whispered. "I'm not mad at you. I was just scared."

"I'm sorry." She breathed, and he hated the shudder in her muscles.

"It's not your fault." Inuyasha held her tighter, willing her to calm. As she slowly and progressively stilled, he reluctantly pulled away, caressing a thumb over her smooth jaw. "Let's get you home."

He was a few strides ahead of her, leading her through the empty streets toward her home. She still felt afraid and vulnerable, every inch of distance between them making it so much more unbearable. She should be watching her step, watching the corners, watching behind, but she didn't feel as paranoid as she would have been justified to. Instead, she could barely manage to remove her eyes from the back of the prince. The weight in her chest was dense and thick, making it hard to breathe. If she stepped a little quicker, the distance lessening, there was alleviation. If she fell back, it grew worse. On instinct, Kagome jogged forward, reaching out and grasping the back of his jacket. She just wanted to touch him. She just wanted the calm to stay for more than five seconds at a time.

Inuyasha stopped, feeling the tug on his coat. Even before he looked, he could sense the alarming anxiety radiating from her, but glimpsing back, seeing her so uneasy, her eyes on the ground and fingers tight against his clothes, was physically painful. Nothing more would ever have to convince him to take her hand, to entwine their fingers, to pull her closer into him and rub the back of her hand with his free one to warm the cold flesh. Kagome seemed to soften as he did so, walking alongside him as they trekked through town. When she sighed out, leaning some of her weight against him, even he seemed to breathe a little easier.

She didn't let go of him as they approached the shop, the windows illuminated from inside. In fact, she gripped him tighter, like she didn't want him to leave just yet. And he hadn't planned to. When they reached the door to the shop, the guide of her arm tucked him somewhat behind her as she cracked the door open, poking herself through a measly percentage of the way.

"Hi, Kaede." Kagome softly greeted. She made sure to keep her left cheek from view. The apothecary turned from the counter with a smile, still working away as per usual. "Delivery's done. Neither of them looked very good, though. They may need more in a day or two if their fevers don't drop."

"'Tis the season." Kaede sighed. "Thank you for your help. I've gone ahead and gotten the fire going in your place. The last thing we need is you coming down with something again, too."

Kagome gave a meager laugh. "Thank you. I'll see you in the morning."

Her door was unlocked, the living room warm and cozy. This was Inuyasha's first time inside Kagome's home, and he could only imagine how her wonderful scent engulfed every nook and cranny. The orange and amber colors from the built fire bounced off the walls, lighting up the room nicely, the small table against the wall a vibrant mahogany, but shadowed where the light couldn't reach. In the center of the main room was a large rug, the weave old but beautiful and something he hadn't seen before.

She released his hand, his palm now cold where hers once rested, silently removing her cloak to hang on the hook along the wall. She was wearing the scarlet dress, the one he'd been hoping she'd wear the day he was set free from his punishment, and he couldn't hold back the way his eyes traveled over her languidly. On their pursuit back up to her raven hair, she'd turned to him slightly, the fire catching the left side of her face.

This was the first time he'd been able to see it, the first time he'd been able to notice the scratches she'd received from being shoved up against the rough wall, her skin scraped angry and pink.

"Would you like some tea?"

Inuyasha ignored the offer, stepping forward and grabbing her chin to tilt it upward. Her eyes had widened slightly, but she didn't shy away from him in the least, allowing him to guide her head to lessen the shadows and get a better look.

"Is it bad?"

"Nah. It suits you." He whispered, finding his voice unnecessary for their proximity, and she responded with giggle.

"How's your hand?" She asked, pulling her chin from his fingers so she could see his knuckles.

"It's fine. Don't even worry about it."

"They bled." Kagome mentioned, holding his hand so he wouldn't take it away, analyzing the forming scabs.

"It'll be gone by morning." He dismissed.

She didn't know what he meant by that, glancing up into his currently-brown eyes for an answer to this entire riddle. When he said nothing more, she accepted what she saw before her. No matter what, it wouldn't hurt to clean it up a bit.

He watched her saunter to the other side of the room, rummaging through a box she pulled from beneath her bed, leaving his palm cold once more, and he wished she'd stop letting go altogether. Ignoring the fidgeting in his fingers, Inuyasha turned to look at the decorations on the wall, noticing the painting of a kind, soft-smiled, short-haired woman.

"Who's this?" He asked, appreciating the beautifully blended swirls of color.

"My mother." He could hear the smile in her tone. "My father had that painting done as a _generous_ gift to himself."

"And now you have it?" This was the first he was hearing about her family, and he glanced back at her, watching her lips fall a fraction but not completely losing her grin.

"After he died, my mother became a caretaker for a noble family. When you live with the person you work for, you don't really need any household items, so I took it all when I moved out here."

"How long ago did he pass?"

"About ten years." Kagome said, pulling out a couple of small bottles from the box and reading the labels in the dimmed lighting.

"You've been living on your own for that long?" Inuyasha couldn't help the protective surge, instantly hating the idea of this girl fending for herself as a young teenager.

"Not quite," She gently laughed, pulling out a container of cotton swabs and bandages before shutting the box and shoving it back beneath her bed. "I stayed with mama for a few years to help her with my younger brother while she worked miscellaneous jobs. When she was hired as a caretaker, she was able to take Sota with her, and that's when I left."

"You have a younger brother?" He asked, wanting to hear everything she had to say. She hummed an affirmation, and he couldn't stop himself from reaching for more. "Do you guys look alike?"

"Quite frankly, he looks like a potato and I take offense to that jab." Kagome sneered, coming back to the center of the rug after she'd gathered her things in her arms. With a nod of her head, she gestured for the prince to join her, kneeling down to sit as she got settled in front of the fire.

He'd chuckled at her comment, closing the distance as soon as she'd requested, to sit with her, to listen to the words he knew were resting on her tongue, her smile one of reminiscence.

"I miss them. Sota's a brat, but he's a good kid. Adventurous, like our father. Mama is probably the most compassionate woman you'd ever meet in this world. I don't think I've ever heard her complain before, except one time when there was a spider on the doorknob and she couldn't get in the house." She laughed, grabbing Inuyasha's offended hand and laying it in her lap.

He'd almost stupidly pulled his hand back from her. The wounds would be gone by sunrise, he hadn't lied. It would be useless for her to waste her time, but she didn't know that, and he'd only be doing himself a disservice by denying himself her attention. Her thigh was warm, her body heat soaking through the soft-textured dress she wore, relaxing to mold his fingers over the curve of her leg. "Are they nearby? When was the last time you saw them?"

Kagome shook her head, observing one of the bottles to make sure she'd picked up the right one before soaking a cotton ball with the contents inside. "They live in a neighboring country. I haven't seen them since the day I left." As his face fell slightly, she continued, knowing he would most likely ask why she even came all this way to begin with. "Papa always preached that the only way to find who you really are is to experience passion. And passion is hard to experience in the safety of the four walls you're born in. He always said it was important to go out and seek the unknown so that the unknown wasn't so scary when it came unexpectedly. And that if you did, if you sought your individuality in this world, you took the hardships and learned your lessons, expressed compassion to the less fortunate, and even the more fortunate, you'd understand what love is, what you're meant for, and who you are. You'd end up okay."

"Do you? Understand who you are, I mean?"

"I think I'm getting there." She said, sparing him a brief glance before she looked back down to his knuckles. "This may sting a little."

Inuyasha ignored the tingling burn on his flesh, allowing the girl to do as she pleased as he watched the colors of the burning fire glow against her skin. All at once, the fluttering in his chest disappeared. He felt satiated. Calm. He felt like he was safe. He felt like he was home. He hadn't stopped thinking about her once in the separation, his brother's question rooting in his mind. He knew. He'd known. He was solidified and comfortable, and the anxiety of the development wasn't enough to unnerve him as he sat beside her, touching her, feeling her breath against his hand as she bent closer down to make sure she was cleaning every millimeter of the marred areas.

"How did you know it was me?" He asked, his voice not as strong as he'd initially willed it to be, coming out more of a whisper. Kagome stopped, peeking at him from beneath her bangs, sitting up slowly at the question. "You really do only notice my face, don't you?"

"And your eyes." She mentioned.

"They're a different color."

She shook her head, as if saying that it didn't matter. "They still say the same thing."

Inuyasha felt warmth softly spreading through him, his cheeks flushing with the sensation. Her brown eyes glided up toward his hair, carrying her fingers up to run through the short strands at his temple. Delving a little further, she ran them through the hair at the side of his head, gently dancing around his ear.

"You look like your mother." Kagome smiled, almost astonished by the resemblance. His brows had twitched upward at the comment, his hand on her thigh slightly gripping, and his lips curved into the most tender smile she'd ever seen on his face.

"You hardly knew who I was, yet you know what my mother looks like?" He chuckled.

"I've had plenty of time to do my research." She giggled, removing her hand from his dark hair. "She was beautiful."

She gave him one last, fleeting smile, going back to what she was doing and grabbing the second bottle. Spreading some of the contents on the tip of her middle finger, she carefully spread the ointment-like remedy on his knuckles, rubbing whatever remained off on her dress. Seeing she was done, Inuyasha picked up the first bottle she'd used and a cotton ball from the container.

"Let me see your cheek."

"Oh, I can do it. Don't worry." Kagome noticed the steadfast expression fall on his face, his eyes slanting slightly as he continued to wait for her to turn to him. She sighed out, as if she should have known his stubbornness would top hers, giving way and turning for him.

"What's that second one for?" Inuyasha asked, soaking the cotton ball with the solution.

"To help it heal better. Less chances of scarring."

She gave a small wince as he gently dabbed the cleaner along her scrapes. He was thorough, going over the small area a few times. Moving onto the ointment, Inuyasha slowly spread a thin layer across her cheek, feeling the heat from her skin that he was willing to blame on the fire they sat so close to.

"I'm a half demon." He said, interrupting the comfortable silence. "Once a month, during the new moon, I lose all of my demon traits and turn human. There are a select few people that know that secret, and since it makes me so vulnerable, it's protected well. Sesshomaru would literally kill me if he knew I was out right now, but so long as I dress down I've never been recognized. Until now."

He dropped his hand, gently placing it on her thigh, not quite resting until he could gauge if she was secure with his touch. When she didn't react, her eyes connected with his as she waited for him to continue, he allowed his fingers to once again mold to the curve of her leg.

"There was something about being no one that I thought was exciting for the longest time. Who I was - am - was decided for me from birth. I'm the prince. Royalty. Second in line for the throne. Don't get me wrong, I respect the part I play for this kingdom, and I wouldn't give it up if given the opportunity. It's a part of me. But that's the thing. It's only a fraction. Just like another percentage of it is my half blood. It's like, my personality didn't exist beneath it all; it's been completely neglected. For once, I wanted someone that wasn't my guard or my family to look at me as if I were an ordinary person, to laugh with me, to punch me if I've done something wrong. You were the first to show me what that was like, and I _think_ I may understand the passion your father was talking about. My only wish is that you knew my name sooner. Because now I want to be who I am. I don't want to hide anymore. And I honestly don't feel like I have to with you around."

Like a hardly noticeable door closing, the breath was caught in Kagome's lungs; so gradual there wasn't even a hitch. A log in the fire popped loudly, interrupting the beautiful quiet, and she finally sighed out, her voice failing her as she spoke. "You don't. I wish you never felt that way to begin with, because there's so much to you that I realize now I was lucky to see. I can't believe more people haven't paid attention. But -" She paused, dread balling in the center of her chest as she reached for an answer she knew she had to get. "Being _who you are,_ is it okay - because people may think - and I'm not sure if -"

"People may think that I'm in love with you." He finished, unwaveringly. She watched his jaw tense, brown eyes solid on her own. Her breathing had become shallow and tedious as she fought the nervous tick to fidget her fingers and shy away. "I am. And the only person who can decide if that's okay is you."

Slowly, Inuyasha leaned forward, his fingers threading through her hair, waiting to see if she'd pull away, stop him, show any sort of apprehension and when she didn't, instead inching forward, he sighed out against her cheek, closing whatever gap was left to kiss her. It began soft, delicate, growing into something so deep and so heartfelt that he couldn't prevent his fingers from trembling along her thigh, gripping tighter.

"Is it?" He pulled away to ask, feeling her hot breath on his skin as she shuddered against him. "Is it okay that I love you, Kagome?"

Kagome couldn't speak. Words were nowhere near powerful enough to tell him it was. To tell him that she loved him too. She never knew just how badly she'd wanted this, emotion building up as she brought her hands up to his chest, gripping his shirt so she could pull herself to him, a feeble whimper leaving her throat as the desperation for him to understand expanded and sank and rooted in her core. She responded to his question by pressing her lips to his, by allowing him to physically feel her vulnerability and how she trusted him with it all.


	5. Interlude

**Before last weekend, this little part didn't exist. I had a craving for more inukag softness and figured the creation of this would also be a good way to say thank you to those who've followed and read and responded positively to this story up until now. I really don't have the proper words to express how happy and grateful I am to all of you, so I attempted to communicate that through this short bit!**

**Part five will be posted later today!**

* * *

She hadn't even noticed him, completely absorbed in what she was doing - or she just couldn't hear his footsteps approaching while she kneeled so close to the stream. He took advantage of her unawareness, treading over twigs and dried leaves carefully until he stood just a few inches behind her. Crouching carefully, Inuyasha readied his hands, making a deep noise he knew would startle her as he quickly and tightly grasped the sides of her arms. Kagome screeched, a shiver running over her entire body as she lost her balance and almost toppled forward into the water, his hold on her preventing the fall.

He laughed, bringing her back as she looked over her shoulder, her panicked expression shifting to offense as she wriggled from his hands. He laughed even harder, jumping to his feet and back as she turned to push him away.

"You're such a jerk!" She shouted, flicking the remnants of the water on her fingers towards him! "You scared the crap out of me!"

"Just what I was going for!"

"Shouldn't you be at home or something? Aren't you still grounded?" Kagome mocked, standing up and whipping her hands to the side in an attempt to air dry them quickly.

"As a matter of fact, no." Inuyasha feigned a grimace, stepping forward to hold her arm so that there was no risk of her stumbling into the stream. "I've been off the hook for almost a week. I've just had some things to take care of. What are you doing out here?"

"Kaede wanted a specific herb, so I came out to find it." She pointed to a little bucket a few feet off to the side, a small, green plant poking out from the soil its roots were snuggly blanketed in. When the prince's attention was turned, she wiped her hands on the front of his dark blue cloak, drying them as thoroughly as possibly with the smuggest smirk she could conjure. "I was washing my hands when you came up. How'd you know where I was?"

Inuyasha looked at her with baffled amusement, chuckling but never stopping her. He tapped the tip of his nose with a finger, silently telling her he'd caught her scent before lowering his hand to brush some loose dirt from her hip. She was wearing a long, white dress, black stitching trimming the edges of the scoop neck and sleeves. A black string laced just below her breasts and down the center of her abdomen tied the cloth snug against her waist, and her wavy, dark hair contrasted beautifully with it all. It was bold to wear such a light color while uprooting a plant, but she'd managed to get out of it with minimal stains, and the few that had caught weren't deep or eye-catching in the least. Not if anyone was paying attention to what was important. With the dense clouds setting in overhead, the forest lifeless and dull, and the world being filtered in the dreary colors of the winter season, Kagome walking through the woodlands in a long and flowing dress of white really helped solidify his original idea that she was actually a nymph. He could practically see the tiara of vine and baby's breath adorning her head.

There was a cleared throat from behind Inuyasha, clearly intended to interrupt their moment, and Kagome glanced over, noticing two guards watching them. Slightly uncomfortable, like she might be doing something wrong, she withdrew her hands, taking a step back as Inuyasha lolled his head in their direction. It was the same two people that had been there on the first day she met the prince. The man was giving a knowing smile, his head tilted and indigo eyes alight with humor while the woman beside him gave a sympathetic grin, as if to apologize for her partner. She was in the same uniform as he, her coat and pants a little more fitting for her petite body, but still looking flexible enough for her to take action if need be.

"You remember my escorts." Inuyasha groaned, holding a hand out in a presenting manner.

"How could I forget? Sango and dirty mouth, right?"

The female knight immediately snorted, hiding the laugh behind her palm while Inuyasha didn't even bother to bear the same courtesy.

"I didn't - I didn't even do anything to deserve it this time." Miroku muttered, bemused.

"You always deserve it." The prince sneered.

"Wow. So much fun. So glad we came."

"Alright, alright." Inuyasha waved him off, turning back to Kagome. "So, it took a good day and a half, but we tracked down the man."

Kagome watched his ember eyes travel from hers to the healing mark on her cheek. She'd had a fun time coming up with a detailed lie on how she'd tripped over her own feet and face-planted into something when Kaede asked about it. But she wasn't a very good liar and the herbalist didn't even need her wit to catch onto the impracticality of it all, so Kagome just insisted a lot could happen in the dark and pretended from then on that she was too embarrassed to talk about it.

"His name's Bankotsu, and he's been taken care of." He said, grazing his thumb over the fading scratches.

"Yes," Miroku stepped forward, a genuine grin on his lips. "Thank you for reporting him to the guards when you did. We couldn't have found him without the scent on the cloak you gave us."

Kagome resisted the curious furrow of her brow, glancing at Inuyasha who merely stared at his aide. Without a queue from him, she could only think to play along; the prince wasn't supposed to be out that night, so she didn't want to be the one to blow his cover - especially after he'd saved her.

"Uh - sure. No problem. It was the right thing to do."

"I'm kidding. I know you're lying and I know everything that happened that night." Miroku plainly stated.

"What? Why'd you set me up!?" She asked incredulously, flashing a glare toward a grimacing Inuyasha.

"Because he owes me one and you called me a dirty mouth."

"He got Koga to act as if you reported the assault to him, who then reported it to the council, who then - you know, it's a long chain that had to completely jump over me which Miroku was responsible for." The prince explained. "But he's got his payment now, and he'll be shutting up."

Sango nudged her partner to make sure he heeded Inuyasha's word, then made a vague gesture to the prince with a slight twist of her expression.

"And," He drawled disappointedly. "I have to get going. We were passing through on the way to run an errand."

"Oh, okay." Kagome gave a tiny nod, smiling softly.

It didn't feel right to leave with just that. After the other night, their feelings, learning so much about one another, touching, walking away with a simple goodbye seemed beneath them now. He could physically feel the eyes of his aides watching him, though, and it quickly created an awkward tension as he fumbled over his thoughts on what he could possibly do to say _hey, nothings changed and I'm still in love with you but my guards are watching like vultures and I'm not quite sure what's appropriate right now because I've never really done this before and apparently I'm not too good at it. _He wanted to kiss her - even a little peck would do - but felt increasingly uncomfortable as the two continued to stare. Clumsily, Inuyasha cleared his throat and briskly kissed the top of Kagome's head, to which she gave a surprised and breathy squeak.

"I'll - uh - see you -"

"Oh, come on! You can do better than that, Romeo." Miroku taunted.

He felt his own face ignite in a wave of heat, his expression dropping pleadingly. At his side, Kagome turned, understandably hiding her own humiliation from the people he used to call his friends.

"Could you give us two minutes, guys?"

"Just two? What are you gonna get done in two?"

"_OH_-kay, we'll be going!" Sango pinched the back of Miroku's arm, exasperatedly dragging the idiot around the curve in the trail where they couldn't be seen anymore.

Inuyasha hid his aggravation behind his palm, massaging one of his temples with his thumb until he knew they were gone and some of the awkwardness dwindled. Turning to Kagome, he noticed the deep pink of her cheeks, her brown eyes staring off at a bush behind them while sucking on her bottom lip.

"I'm sorry - I hate him - I'm so sorry."

"It's okay." She uncomfortably laughed, bowing her head shyly. "I guess we've gotta get used to that, right?"

"No, because I'm killing him tonight."

Kagome laughed again, this time the return of her stability bringing back the melodic ring in her voice. His eyes were glued to her smile, softening whatever edge he'd previously felt, and in his peripherals he noticed her hand slowly, waveringly inching toward his own. Inuyasha stayed perfectly still, allowing her to move at her own pace until the tips of her cold fingers curled around his, and when she was there, he helped to firmly entwine them together. As she glanced up, biting the side of her bottom lip, brown eyes captivating him, he decided to take full advantage of their momentary privacy.

"Come on." He whispered, pulling her a little ways away toward a large tree to conceal them.

"Where are we going?"

"Shh."

"Inuyasha." She giggled faintly. He guided her around the opposite side of the trunk, never letting go of her hand as he leaned his back against the bark and brought her closer.

Kagome happily stepped inward, her smile widening as the prince, _her_ prince, tenderly swiped some hair behind her ear, the pads of his fingers following the curve of her hair and tickling over her collarbone.

"Hi." He sighed.

"Hi."

Inuyasha closed the gap that remained, grazing his lips over the plush of hers, feeling her press onto her toes to seal them together. The soft touch quickly heated, their seconds together being spent wisely. He released her hand as she gave a slight suck to his bottom lip, snaking his arms around her back to hold her closer, feel the way her body arched into him, kiss her deeper. They'd only shared a moment like this once and yet he already felt himself growing selfish and addicted. The prince felt her hands climbing up his chest, the motion tedious and deliberate, and if he was fooling himself into thinking she had the same thoughts of codependency as he, that was just fine by him. Once her fingers met his neck, Inuyasha inadvertently dragged in a sharp inhale from the shock.

"Your hands are freezing." He murmured into her mouth.

"Warm them for me." Kagome giggled, her fingers curving around the back of his neck, threading into the silver hair at the nape.

If Inuyasha could spend the rest of his life kissing her, tasting her, rubbing noses, hearing her sighs, breathing her in, nothing more - nothing less, he'd easily consider his years well spent. It was like they matched each other perfectly, synchronized, and the way she molded against him was so comfortable that words failed to describe how elated he was.

His name was called by one of his aides, and immediately he groaned defeatedly, the thick noise reverberating between their lips. As if it never happened, he continued kissing her, holding her impossibly closer for one more moment. Again, his name was called, and Kagome pulled away an inch.

"I think our time's up."

"No, ignore them." He kissed her. "They'll go away."

Giggling, she gave him one last, delicate kiss before stepping back from him so he wouldn't be tempted to neglect their calls further. If they came over and found them this way, she'd most likely die of embarrassment.

Once more, Inuyasha's name was called, this time more croaky than the last. He'd missed bringing that desperate cry from Miroku.

"Alright, alright! I'm coming!" He drawled. Reaching an arm over Kagome's shoulders, he pulled her close as they walked back, tucking her into his chest so he could easily kiss her head. She wrapped her arms around his waist, walking in sync with him as they came back to the path where his guards waited.

"I hate you." Miroku chided.

"Sorry. She was showing me a tree." Inuyasha said, shrugging.

"You're filthy."

The prince chuckled, giving a flick of his hand so they'd head off knowing he'd be right behind them. They followed his silent order, and with the small window he had, Inuyasha curled a finger beneath Kagome's chin and tilted it up for his advantage. Just a small kiss this time, but she smiled into it and his knees almost caved.

"I'll see you later." He whispered.

"Bye."


	6. Chapter 6

"Go inside," Inuyasha said politely, ignoring the visible puff of breath in front of his face. "And be careful in case there's ice. I'll put her away."

"But, sir." The caretaker opposed, shaking his beanie-clad head.

"It's too cold out, just go get warm." The prince insisted, guiding his mare by the reigns. Miroku and Sango climbed down from their own horses just behind, their boots sloshing in the melting snow. The caretaker gave a grateful bow, rubbing his reddened hands together for friction as he turned away, hunched over to bundle into his own coat as he headed for the side entrance to the servant chambers.

Inuyasha entered the opened stable house, the area maintained and warmed for the horses, opening the gate to his individual stable and allowing his steed to step through. His aides remained quiet as they did the same. They were reaching the end of winter, but this was about the average time where the worst storms hit. The town was sullen and quiet as they'd traveled through, trees bare and so weathered they seem to lose their own natural color. People were falling ill, whatever life walked through the streets seeming pale and tired, dark circles around their eyes communicating just how ready they were for the cold and wet season to pass. They'd stopped and offered help to anyone they saw, whether that be assisting to carry their heavy logs for the fire or insisting to cover the payment for their bread as money was tight while it was too cold to work, but they could only do so much when the real difficulty lied in Mother Nature's cruel temperament.

As he unsaddled his mare, the prince caught a familiar scent nearby, pulling him out of the small gate and toward the last one at the back wall. Inside, his niece slowly stroked the thick fur of a smaller, white and grey horse, her body blanketed within a long, wool-lined, pink cloak. She seemed to not notice him, even though the small horse had fidgeted slightly at his presence. Even beneath the fluff of her cloak, Inuyasha noticed the quick pace of her chest rising, small huffs leaving her nose.

"Rin," Inuyasha opened the gate to the stable, his concern increasing ten fold as she glanced up at him and quickly pulled her hood over her head, ducking her face as she moved toward the other side of the animal to continue petting. "What are you doing out here? It's too cold, you know better."

"I came outside to play," She spoke, and he could tell the amount of effort she was putting in to make her words come out as steady as possible. There was no hiding the shallow breaths she had to take between words, though, her voice feeble. "I hope papa lets me keep this horse. He's so cute."

He crossed around the animal, his niece flinching at the haste of his movements, backing away before he could grab her.

"No!" She shouted, tone wavering. She was agitated, defensive as she continued away from him. "I want to play!"

The hood fell back with her fervency, and he could see the paleness riddling her face, her skin clammy and unhealthy. His stomach sank disturbingly as his suspicions became rooted, fear causing his breath to shudder as the little girl furrowed her brows and wrinkled her nose at him.

"How about we go inside and warm up for a little while? We can come out to play together later." He carefully offered, kneeling down and extending a hand out for her to take.

"I don't -" She stopped for a short breath, her body giving a quake. "Want to."

"Rin, please. You're sick."

"I'm not."

"You're sick." He repeated more directly.

"I'm fine."

Inuyasha reached for her, snagging her cloak and pulling her into his chest. Her fever burned his skin as she meagerly struggled against him, heat seeping through his own thick clothing as the chills she tried so hard to hide became more and more evident.

"No! I don't want to be sick! I don't -" She was quickly wearing herself out, crying and gasping for air as she sunk into her uncle's chest, clinging to him. He held her firmly, his arms around her, and his heart broke painfully as he glanced up over the gate at his onlooking and worried guards.

"I'm sorry, Rin."

"I don't want to be sick again!"

"I'm sorry."

"Please," She whimpered. "I don't want to be sick."

He couldn't speak that time, her sobs wounding sharply.

"Mama and papa don't like when I'm sick. Please, don't tell them."

"I have to, baby." Inuyasha grasped her closer, tucking her further against his body as he held her firmly at his waist, rising to stand. Rin's arm's circled his neck as she wept, turning her head away from his shoulder as she gave into a brief fit of coughs.

At a quick pace, he made his way toward the main entrance of the castle, rubbing his niece's back to soothe her shallow breathing and the pain she was most definitely in. "Sango, go alert her parents. Miroku, get Kaede."

"Where's Totosai?"

"He's out making rounds through the forts. Kaede. Now."

Sango ran ahead of him, climbing the stairs and disappearing around a corner. Miroku abruptly turned around, running back toward the stable house to grab his horse.

The prince hated the way the little girl's fingers trembled against his skin at the back of his neck, tiny hands unable to grasp him through the shuddering of her chills. She sniffled and coughed, resting fully against him now as he hiked the staircase toward her room.

Kagome gently dabbed the forehead of a pale, sleeping man - one of the several resting on a cot in Kaede's temporarily shop-turned-hospice. Fevers were slowly breaking, sweat dotting every ill person's forehead while both she and the apothecary swiped it all away with a damp cloth. The flames in the fireplace popped and seethed, filling the silent, stiff air with a soothing melody. From the side, she could hear Kaede stand, the ruffling of her skirt giving her movements away as she crossed toward the stove, her soft voice calling for Kagome's attention. She turned to see the elderly woman preparing some herbal tea, beckoning her over for her own glass.

"Another?" Kagome asked, accepting the mug from the herbalist's hands.

"You can never have too much. It'll hopefully prevent us both from catching whichever of the many viruses are floating about town."

She nodded, trusting the woman's knowledge as she sipped the hot, murky liquid, tasting mostly like dirt than any other tea she's ever had. There was a brisk knock on the front door just before it was opened, and Kagome half-expected another townsperson requesting medicine for a sick family member. Instead, Inuyasha's aide, someone who'd quickly become a friend to her over the passing weeks, entered, shutting the door behind him to seal out the cold while looking at them unnervingly. His indigo eyes landed on Kaede, his jaw tensing as he sucked in a loud and shaky breath through his nostrils.

"What's happened?" Kaede asked, her powerful tone hiding the unmasked panic in her eyes.

"It's the princess." He answered.

"Symptoms?"

"From what I saw, she was coughing and having difficulty breathing."

Without an ounce of hesitation, Kaede moved toward the counter with all the herbs and prepared medicines, snatching a pouch from beneath as she shifted through the containers. One-by-one, she packed everything necessary and in abundance, knowing the castle was too far from her shop to have to return if something was left behind. When she felt everything essential was within, she pulled the drawstrings to the pouch shut, leaving it on the counter as she spun around, grabbing Kagome by a wrist and yanking her into a private room while gesturing for Miroku to join them.

"With the state of the people in this town, I cannot leave." She stated firmly, holding up a finger before Miroku could interject. "Just listen. Kagome, you will have to go for me."

"What?" She couldn't bite back the shock.

"I have to be here to _make_ the medicine. You know very well how to administer it. The princess has a very poor immune system due to the time she lived in an orphanage. The place was, evidently, not maintained while overly crowded. We don't know what her exact condition is, but due to it she often falls with _severe_ cases of influenza or pneumonia. You're familiar with both."

Kagome nodded, still slightly unsure of Kaede's decision.

"If it's something you don't recognize, send someone for me and we'll swap places. If it's something you know you can handle, I fully trust you with it. Stay by Rin's side until she's stabilized." She said. "Additionally, Rin has a tendency to pretend her symptoms aren't that bad when her parents are around. You can imagine how much harder that'll make your job. They know to leave, but you may have to push them."

"Kaede, are you sure?"

"There's no time for second-guessing, child. I have plenty of remedies to get on, and you've got your work put out for you as well. The entire town is in shambles, and you and I are just gonna have to keep it together until the wet season passes. Young Knight, you tell them I permitted Kagome to go in my place."

He nodded, heaving a sigh as he and Kagome followed Kaede back out into the common area. He already knew there'd be resistance at a stranger tending to Rin, but the apothecary knew what was best for the child's sake. If she trusted her assistant, hopefully the king and queen would too.

The herbalist grabbed the pouch and placed it in Kagome's grasp, ushering for them to leave as she opened drawers for the dried herbs she kept, getting to work on grinding them down in a bowl. Miroku guided her outside, and as the freezing air hit her face, she pulled the hood of her long-sleeve, beige dress over her head. The knight climbed onto his horse first, securing himself on the saddle before reaching down for Kagome's hand, aiding her up to sit behind him. She gripped his waist tight, the loop of the drawstrings around her forearm to keep the pouch safe.

Dread knotted in Inuyasha's chest as minutes felt like hours, ember eyes glued to the already-opened gates as he waited for his aide to return. He couldn't get the weak wheezing from his nieces chest out of his ears, almost bringing him to miss the oncoming sound of hooves clapping the ground. Miroku quickly approached, light-colored sleeves bound around his sides, and as his steed passed him and slowed, the prince couldn't help the confusion at seeing a slender lady on his back as opposed to a smaller, hunched, greyed and aged woman. Immediately, though his face was twisted in perplexity, he caught her scent and followed them over to where the horse finally stopped. He tapped Kagome's thigh so that she'd notice him, holding his hands out to grasp her waist as she bent towards him, helping her down from the horse and keeping her at his side.

As Miroku climbed down, they locked eyes, his aide reading the question as if it were asked aloud. "Kaede has her hands full. She couldn't leave, so she sent Kagome."

Though he was nervous, wishing for some sort of immediate relief during this terrifying ordeal, he swallowed the thick lump forming in his throat. He had no reason not to believe Kagome was suitable for the job, and he wouldn't be the one to dwindle whatever confidence she was working to maintain. He could tell, from the slight tremble in her fingers that he felt brushing against his thigh, that she was apprehensive about the entire thing. But he knew she was capable. She was intuitive. She knew what she was doing, and she _had_ to go into it boldly. Inuyasha pulled back the hood of her dress, gently kissing the top of her head.

"Thank you for coming." He whispered, her smile curving upward minutely.

They lead her through the large doors, her brown eyes glued to the dark blue cloak along Inuyasha's back, watching her step as they climbed the stairs. Curving along the hall of the second floor, a tall, chiseled man somewhat resembling her own companion stepped out of an open door, his silver hair parting in the center of his forehead to reveal a crescent moon mark he'd inherited from his own mother. He held himself powerfully though his body and neck were visibly tense, lips curved downward in an emotion Kagome couldn't quite decipher.

"Where is Kaede?" He spoke, voice deep and straight.

"She can't be here, sire." Miroku stated, almost apologetically.

"She's sent me in her stead." Kagome stepped forward, breathing out whatever uncertainty she had before. Now was the most important time not to show any trace of it. Balanced and poised, she gave a small curtesy, bowing her head to show respect.

"No." The king said abruptly. "Go back and get her. Remind her it is her responsibility."

"Your Majesty, I've been well-trained by the apothecary, herself. I can help." She insisted, minding her tone.

"I said no. Go get -"

"Excuse me, sir," Kagome interrupted, this time more steadfast. Even Inuyasha's surprised attention fell on her while the king raised his chin indignantly. "I don't mean to be blunt, but the entire town has fallen sick with the season being what it is. She's doing whatever she can to provide for _everyone_, and she's sent me in her place. Why would you waste time sending for her again when I am here to help _now?_"

"Who are you?" Sesshomaru asked, looking down on her with his golden eyes.

"My name is Kagome."

Instantly, his glare shot over to the prince, his brother's expression even. "You brought me your _girlfriend!?"_

_"_My relationship with Inuyasha has nothing to do with my work!" Kagome shot audaciously and resentfully just as Inuyasha's mouth had opened to speak. "I know what I'm doing! Believe me, I understand that you want someone you trust to take care of your daughter, but given the circumstances, you're better off dropping the guard and learning to trust me! If _you_ don't _she_ never will, and her comfort is what's most important here! Not yours! So, if you don't mind, sir, I'd like to see what we're dealing with here!"

There was a moment, a silent and unsettling moment, where the king seemed so enraged that she thought she may have incidentally overstepped all boundaries and gotten herself into trouble. Her chest heaved beneath the warm dress she donned, but still, she held firm in her stance. A small, meager cough broke through the palpable walls that had formed to enclose the king and her in, his ember eyes shutting as his chest deflated defeatedly. She could see the pain he tried to hide in his expression, allowing anger to be the dominant curve in his brow instead of fear, but at the wheeze of her small cough, Kagome caught a glimpse of the dread. Even the prince winced, his anguish more evident, shying his head to the side.

"Please." She tried once more, much softer as her resolve melted away.

Breathing out, the huff clenched in his throat, Sesshomaru turned back toward the room, never waving her off, so presumably leading her in. Kagome stepped forward, feeling the presence of her prince sticking by her side, and as difficult as it was to do, she turned to him, her hand held out cautiously. This was already hard enough as it was. The last thing she needed was Inuyasha hovering close by as a member of her scrupulous audience. If he stuck by her, watched her, stayed close, she was afraid she'd only be seen as _his_ person by the king and queen. Not the skilled individual she'd just presented herself as a moment ago.

"Stay." She pleaded. And she saw the disturbance in his eyes. Of all people, though, he was the most important to back her up, and that was what she needed right now. "Just trust me."

Inuyasha held his breath for a moment, clenching his fists as his entire body went rigid, nails biting into his palms as the woman's firm gaze stayed on him. When she was nearby, no matter the circumstance, he was most comfortable at her side. Now, when he felt absolutely helpless and Kagome was unexpectedly mere feet away, he was being told he couldn't have her.

He had to force himself to remember the reason she was there. She was working. She was tending to his niece's health. Reluctantly, he released his breath, giving a curt nod as he said, "Go."

Kagome walked through the doorway of the large bedroom, brown eyes seeking out the frail girl blanketed on the bed, a woman with neatly-tied hair sitting beside her and stroking the bangs from her face. The king cleared his throat to gather his wife's currently-undivided attention, red irises flying toward him then landing on Kagome.

"This is Kagome. She's here in place of Kaede." He spoke unwaveringly, and Kagome guessed that if he showed minimal hesitation to the obviously uncomfortable situation, the queen wouldn't be tipped off to fight the predicament too. Likely, it was his way of reassuring his wife, as subtle as it may be.

Still, there wasn't a large amount of certainty in the queen's eyes, which Kagome understood. This was their little girl, and she was only a stranger. That didn't change the fact that she was there to help, and she knew the only way for them to relax, even an ounce, was for her to show them she was capable. Respectfully, Kagome gave a graceful curtsey, then set to work. Even from her place across the room, she could hear the little girl's difficult and shallow breaths. Her skin was pale, though there was a slight pink flushing her cheeks. Kagome crossed the room, setting the pouch from Kaede on a nearby desk as she came closer to the princess, approaching as carefully as she would any other sick and scared child.

"Hi," Kagome started, smiling kindly. Rin spared a weak smile, waving with a twiddle of her fingers. The queen held her spot next to her daughter, watching her every move, and she accepted the caution behind her expression - much like a lioness with her cub. "My name's Kagome. What's yours?"

"Rin." The little girl whispered.

"It's nice to meet you, Rin. I heard you're not feeling too well."

Rin shook her head, mouth open as she continued to struggle to breathe properly.

"Is it your chest?" Kagome asked, tapping her own chest above her dress with an open palm. "Does it hurt?"

Apprehensively, the princess's eyes glanced over to her mother, then back to Kagome, shaking her head. She was lying. This was what Kaede had warned her about, she doesn't like to worry her parents.

Looking to the queen, Kagome kept her soft smile, her empathy for their discomfort on display. "Would you please help me sit her up?"

"Sit her up?" Kagura echoed.

"Yes, it may help her breath and cough just a little easier."

As the mother supported the little girl to sit, Kagome adjusted the pillows behind her, making sure they propped her comfortably. Gently, she tested Rin's temperature with the back of her hand, running it over her forehead, cheeks, and even her neck. She was burning up. Dangerously.

"It can't be comfortable to have your hair sticking to your neck." She mentioned. "Would you like it put up so it won't bother you anymore?"

The little girl gave a smile, nodding, and Kagome turned back to Kagura, silently asking if she'd like to do it. She figured the more comfort she was able to provide her daughter herself, the less helpless she'd feel in the long run.

The queen gave a fleeting smile, pulling the tie from Rin's half-ponytail down. Using her nails, she scooped up the thick, brown hair of her daughter's, making sure to peel the loose strands that clung to her skin away, and securing it all in an untidy bun, her fingers delicately pushing the bangs from her forehead once more on their way down.

"Better?" The mother compassionately asked her daughter.

"Thank you." The princess beamed as brightly as she could in the moment, her smile being transferred to her father near the door.

"May I have a word with you?" Kagome asked Kagura, and the queen only hesitated to give her daughter a quick kiss on the head, following her over to where Sesshomaru stood. "I know you both are justifiably worried, but Kaede's warned me that Rin will mask how she's really feeling if you're around."

"You expect us to leave?" Sesshomaru asked forwardly.

"I do." Kagome nodded, unfazed.

"Well, what do you think it is? Is it pneumonia again?" Kagura questioned, fighting the instinct to look back at Rin.

"It looks like it. I'd like to listen to her breathe a bit more before giving positive confirmation, but the obvious symptoms are there."

"How bad is it?" The queen shook.

"I can't say yet." She wavered. "But I _can_ tell you that it still looks like she's getting enough oxygen; her lips aren't blue, and that's usually the tell-tale sign she isn't. What's important right now is getting her fever down. May I request a few things?"

With a sturdy nod from the king, Kagome finally felt like she was making way with him.

"I need a bowl of cool water and a few rags, a kettle of hot water for tea, a glass of water for drinking, and not now but soon we'll need some soup brought up - preferably nothing too heavy. Broth and vegetables would do. Has she eaten today?"

"Not much." Kagura answered.

"Okay, then I'll definitely work with her to eat it little-by-little. Has she complained about her stomach?"

"No, she's hardly said a thing."

Kagome worried her bottom lip, giving a slow nod of comprehension as she mouthed the word, "Okay." Darting her gaze to meet the stare of Inuyasha's older brother, she raised her brows, silently challenging him to give her the same respect he'd grant Kaede.

Another stiff moment between them, and a part of her felt like he was testing her; to see if she'd slight or shy away. When she held her ground, her own lips curving downward in impatience, the king stepped around his wife, his boots stomping heavily along the wooden floor, the sound dulled when he walked over the circular carpet that rested beneath the princess's bed.

"You know what to do if you need anything." He said, his hand landing on the top of her head. His fingers flinched from the heat of her fever, and he worked to play it off by rubbing along her scalp in a meager massage. His little girl looked up at him, her cheeks unpleasantly pink but smile as sweet as ever. He took that as his confirmation, giving a small ruffle of her bangs with his palm before turning around to leave. Rin gave a happy wave to her mother just as the king's arm wrapped around her shoulders to guide her out.

"Please take care of her." She mentioned in passing.

"I will." Kagome curtseyed, and she remained where she was until the door to the bedroom shut. As soon as she was alone to do her work, she turned back to the ill princess, understanding that there had to be a good amount of disconcert riddling her from being left with a stranger. To the left of the room was a large assortment of stuffed animals, neatly bunched as if they served as an audience. Sauntering to it, she looked them over, noticing the more worn ones from the newer-looking toys.

"You know, when I was little and I had come down with any sort of cold or flu that had me bed-ridden, my mother would always make sure I had my favorite stuffed animal nearby to help me through it. Do you have a favorite, princess? One that helps you get through things when you're a little down?"

Rin's dark eyes slowly traveled over her, seemingly unsure. The corners of her lips gave a small, upward twitch, and she pointed toward the main heap of the spectators. "The dragon."

"With two heads?" Kagome asked, even though it was the only dragon in the pile. The princess hummed a positive affirmation between short breaths and held her arms out for it as Kagome brought the toy over.

"Papa got it for me," She beamed. "A few years ago when he went on a long trip."

Kagome tried to keep her expression straight as she noticed the increasing struggle with Rin's breathing. Gently, Kagome sat along the edge of her mattress. "It must mean a lot to you."

"Dragons are big and strong just like papa. They protect."

"Just like your papa protects you?" Kagome smiled. Rin nodded, hugging the two-headed dragon closer. "Princess, do you mind if I listen to your chest for a moment? I'd like to hear how everything sounds as you breathe." When the little girl seemed hesitant, large eyes shying downward, Kagome felt herself growing impossibly softer.

"It's okay to be scared. It's perfectly normal. The sooner we work together, though, the sooner we can have you feeling better."

"It doesn't matter." Rin sourly admitted, tucking one of the dragon's heads beneath her chin. "I always get sick again. I don't like it. I don't like to make everyone worry."

"That just means they love you. So much."

A pout formed on the girl's face, her bottom lip giving a heart-breaking quiver. "What if I never get better? Like, _actually_ get better?"

Kagome reached out, taking one of Rin's hands to clasp between both of hers, the palm tiny and hot. "No, don't say that. You can. Think of it this way: baby dragons can't always spit fire like bigger dragons can. Some are born with the ability, yes, but others have to grow and adapt until their little lungs can handle that sort of thing." The princess shoved her fingers further into Kagome's hold, gripping at the heel of her hand. "Nothing in the world has the right to tell them they can't do it, not even themselves. But sometimes it's hard. They try and try and still haven't created a spark, and then they begin to question if they ever will. It's in those moments that they have to be their strongest, though. The bigger dragons show them how it's done so that they can practice, but the little dragons have to be brave enough to ask for that help first. But if they doubt themselves and give up, they'll never see the flames they can eventually make because they stopped believing they could. You, princess - you're just like a baby dragon. In order to spit fire one day, you've gotta be honest and tell us when and if you don't feel well so we can give you the exact help you need. Your immune system _can_ get stronger with time and medicine. I, personally, refuse to believe otherwise, so why should you?"

Rin's eyes grew doe-like, glossy and brimming as hope began to brighten the color. "But I heard - I heard them saying that I might be sick for the rest of my life."

Kagome cocked her head, rubbing the back of Rin's hand smoothly, her lips curving auspiciously. "The word "might" has never been a sure thing. There's always potential for a change of plans."

With a beautiful and bright smile, the princess moved the stuffed dragon away from her chest, opening up to allow Kagome to listen to her breathing. She released Rin's hand, scooting a little closer to lean her ear to the girl's chest. There was the expected wheezing as she inhaled, but what stood out was the muffled crackling behind it all. Sitting up and keeping her expression level, she pushed the bangs from Rin's head to prevent them from sticking with the sweat. Thankfully, she was donned in light pajamas so it wouldn't contribute to her overheating.

"Does your chest hurt anywhere?"

Rin pointed to her left side. "Here. Only when I cough."

"Good, it's not constant."

Getting up and crossing toward the desk, she opened the pouch Kaede had packed, sorting the bottles out before her to see what she had to help. To the side, she set the packaged herbs for the tea. It was the sort that helped ease coughs and fevers, but made the person drowsy. She wanted to make sure Rin ate before that, so it would be one of the last things she did.

"I like your dress." The princess spoke, kindly filling the silence. Kagome peeked over at her, a smile returning to her face.

"Thank you." She said, turning back to scout which container held the white horehound she was looking for. It was something the herbalist never came here without, so she _knew_ it was somewhere within the several contents she'd packed. "It's one of the warmest ones I've got."

"And it has a hood!"

"Yes," Kagome laughed. "It's very handy! No cloak necessary."

"And the color is really pretty!"

"How about I send a letter home to my mother and ask if she can make one for you?" Kagome queried, finally finding the syrup. There was a small spoon conveniently added to the bag, and she silently thanked Kaede for thinking ahead.

"No way! Your mama made that?" Rin beamed.

"Sure did!" She replied, equally as enthusiastic, opening the container and sitting on the edge of the mattress once more.

"Do you really think she'd make one for me?"

"Well, after I tell her all the compliments you've given, how could she possibly resist? Open up."

The princess scrunched her nose in disgust as she swallowed the spoonful, quivering as if a chill had run down her spine. She recovered without a single complaint, clicking her tongue to run the taste off her mouth. A brief rasp on the door broke through the air, a caretaker entering with a tray of the things Kagome had requested. Gratefully, she got up and met her halfway, taking the tray from the caretaker.

"The soup is being prepared and will be up shortly, madam." She bowed her head and Kagome was a little taken aback, never having received that treatment before. "If you need anything else, there will be someone just outside the door."

Before she could thank her, Rin lurched forward as coughs racked through her chest, the sound wet and raspy. Quickly, trying not to spill anything, Kagome set the tray down beside the medicines she'd laid out, traveling over to the princess to rub her back in a soothing effect until her fit subsided. The caretaker looked on worriedly, and with a hand outstretched, Kagome silently gestured for her to bring the glass of water, mouthing a "thank you" as the cup met her fingers.

"Sip only." Kagome said, handing the glass to Rin. The princess did as she was told, settling back against her pillows in exhaustion. Giving a brisk nod to kindly excuse the caretaker, Kagome got up and grabbed the bowl of cold water and a rag, setting it up on the bedside table along her bed as the door to the bedroom shut. Before she sat, Kagome went back to the medicines, grabbing a container of balm to ease the potential congestion in Rin's chest. Along with that, a small dosage of powdered herbs that would dissolve under the tongue to help break the fever quicker. At the sight of the powder, the little girl scrunched her nose once more, the look on her face telling Kagome she knew exactly how horrible it tasted. She couldn't even hold back her own laugh at the girl's aversion. "I know, it's the best isn't it?"

"Do I have to?"

"If your fever keeps up like this, you literally will be spitting fire, little dragon." Kagome poked, placing the container of balm on the bedside table as she readied the small amount of powder. "I'll give you some water when it finishes dissolving."

Rin opened her mouth, lifting her tongue so Kagome could pour it in, her lips closing and curving down in revulsion. Swapping out for the balm, Kagome took a small scoop with her fingers, rubbing it into the scorching flesh of Rin's chest. The little girl made grabby-hands when the powder had properly vanished, requesting some water to wash the rest of the taste away.

The soup came as Kagome continuously dabbed a cool, wet rag along Rin's head and cheeks, occasionally drifting down to her neck to wash the beads of sweat away. The entirety of her cheeks were flushed bright pink, an indication, Kagome had learned, that the medicine she'd given was beginning to work.

"Do you think you can eat a little?" She asked, smiling thankfully at the attendant that delivered the food.

"I'm not really hungry." Rin meagerly admitted.

"I can imagine." She sympathized. "But it'll help keep your strength up. Just a little."

The tray was propped over Rin's lap, and she slurped a few spoonfuls of broth while Kagome prepared the tea, giggling as the girl cringed about the chopped celery in the stew. Though she was sick and had every justification in the book to be crabby, she still joked and laughed and smiled as if nothing was wrong. She was a happy girl, and Kagome wondered how much of a handful she was on days where she felt bright.

The princess managed to eat half of her serving of soup before calling it quits, and by then the water in the kettle had cooled enough for her to comfortably drink, the herbs steeped and the liquid a deep shade of amber. It was yet another thing thats taste was unfavorable, but despite her crinkled grimace, she drank every drop up.

"How are you feeling, princess?" Kagome asked, dragging the damp rag behind her neck after taking the empty mug from her small hands.

"Tired." Was all she replied. Her breaths were, expectedly, just as shallow as before, though signs remained positive that she was still receiving enough oxygen. The effects of the tea would kick in soon enough and she'd hopefully sleep for more than a few hours at a time, though when your lungs ached for full and deep breaths of air, it was hard to remain comfortable. As of right now, Kagome couldn't do anything more. Rin needed rest, and time needed to pass before her next dosage of medicine.

She adjusted the girl's pillows a bit so she wasn't completely sitting up, her head supported at the perfect angle where it wouldn't fall to the side if she nodded off. When she relaxed into the mess of fluff, Kagome took the opportunity to clean up the mess she'd created, moving trays away while keeping a few things neatly arranged at the bedside table. Kaede had packed more medicines than necessary, and she figured it was more for precaution than anything. Had it been the flu instead of pneumonia, she would have been equally as prepared.

Pushing her hair behind her ear, Kagome glanced back over toward the princess. The little girl was hugging her dragon close, the fingers of one hand lazily dancing over the the thread that detailed the nose of one head.

"Would you like to say goodnight to your parents?" She offered, noticing how sleepy she was getting. Half-lidded, brown eyes bounced over to her, a trying smile forming on her face as she nodded.

Without hesitation, Kagome left to find them, jumping slightly when she'd forgotten someone was posted just outside the doors.

"Is there something I can get for you, miss?"

"Oh, no thank you." She declined, waving her hands dismissively. "I was actually looking for the king and queen."

"This way." He turned stiffly on his heel, guiding her down the hall.

She couldn't help her eyes from gliding over the marble walls and arched ceilings as they curved into a larger area, the floors expanding and providing ample room for even a carriage to stroll through. Just the outside of the castle was intimidatingly gorgeous to her, but never had she imagined to be so at a loss for words inside as well.

The attendant opened the white door to the side, eyes flickering in to gesture for her to go through. Out of nervous reaction, she smoothed the front of her dress quickly before walking in, slanted, ember eyes landing on her from his place next to the tall window across the room. She hadn't realized that the sun was setting, or that it wasn't nearly as late as it felt. A creak in a chair caught Kagome's attention and she saw the queen leaning forward, wearing a smooth and slim dress so crimson it rivaled the depth of her eyes.

"Her Grace," She slowly began, feeling a little trepidatious and fighting her own common tick to fidget her fingers or stumble over her words. "Um - well her pneumonia's returned. Her fever's dropped a little. She ate half a bowl of the soup that was sent up, which was more than I expected. If it's alright, I'd like to stay overnight to monitor her breathing, and then stick by her side tomorrow to see if I can break her fever entirely."

"Of course." Kagura swiftly agreed. "Can we send someone to get anything you might need from your place?"

"No, thank you. I've got everything necessary. I appreciate you allowing me to stay." Kagome bowed her head an inch. "With all that said and done, the medicine has made her sleepy and she'd like to say goodnight to you."

She'd hardly finished her sentence before Sesshomaru passed by, strands of her hair fluttering slightly with his silent fervency. Even his long, white cloak brushed the sleeve of her dress, but she stayed perfectly still, only turning to watch the concerned parents path out of the doors. She couldn't hold the king's coldness against him. She'd heard several times from Inuyasha that communication wasn't his strong suit if it wasn't business-related. That, and she could clearly see just how deeply his daughter's illness stabbed him, despite the flesh-colored mask he wore.

Kagome set to follow them, leaving plenty of space between so as not to interrupt their time, catching movement along the wall in the corner of her eye. The prince stood there, watching her with eyes a half a shade darker than his brother's. There was a slight downward curve to his lips, tension in his jaw, and his arms were crossed over his chest - almost as if he disapproved of something she'd done but wasn't expressing it as grumpily as he would on any average day. Nonetheless, just the mere sight of him helped soften the bundled nerves in her chest, and she sighed out and smiled in relief. He was so many feet away, but having him there was just as equivalent as having him standing at her side to physically support whatever movement she made.

He shouldn't have stayed behind, though. She knew he was just as worried about his niece. He should be with her, even if it was just for a brief moment.

"Go say goodnight." Kagome said softly, gesturing toward the door with a flick of her brows.

"You've been working a lot with all the orders for medicine lately." He stated, unmoving. "Have you gotten any real rest in the past couple of days?"

"Of course, I have." She lied convincingly. "Now go say goodnight, _Your Highness."_

With an exhale, Inuyasha dropped his hands to his side, heading out the door and down the hall toward Rin's room.

—

It was just barely breaking three in the morning, and Rin had woken up twice; once in a fit of painful coughs and another because her fever had spiked again and she was incredibly uncomfortable. The princess's tears were heartbreaking and Rin had admittedly muffled her cries so her family wouldn't hear. There was a point where Kagome's fingers trembled so badly and she wondered if she was doing half as well as Kaede would have in this situation. When the little girl had calmed enough, she was able to give her a little more of the powder and tea, though the water had chilled to a temped temperature which accentuated the bitterness of the flavor. It was more important for the soothing effects to be in her system than waiting for hot water to be brought up, though.

After Rin had fallen back asleep, Kagome shook in her stool next to the bed, watching the girl's chest rise and fall unsteadily, her hands fidgeting and sweating in her lap. She willed herself to breathe deeply instead of mimicking the princess's pace in her agitated state. No matter how high strung her nerves seemed to be, her eyes kept closing, her head feeling heavy on her neck. She couldn't fall asleep. She needed to keep an eye on Rin. She needed to make sure complications didn't suddenly arise. Her body was too weighted, too stressed, too tense, but no matter how many times she got up and paced the room in an effort to wake her muscles, the fatigue swung through her rapidly and overwhelmingly, bringing her to succumb and rest her head along the edge of the comforter-covered mattress.

Kagome felt a series of gentle rakes through her hair, fingers skimming through so softly, nails gliding along her scalp soothingly. Over and over, along her temple and just above her ear, she felt the massage progressively becoming more evident as consciousness flooded back to her.

She'd fallen asleep.

Gasping tremulously, Kagome quickly sat up, her eyes swiftly scouring over the sleeping child. She studied her chest which continued to rise and fall, and then her cheeks which weren't as pink as before but still remained flush, and her bangs that stuck and curled due to the sweat on her forehead. Her lips were normal-colored, and parted slightly for the air she breathed, her fingers twitched as she dreamt, and she was still okay.

"It's just me." A husky voice whispered behind her, grasping her attention as efficiently as if she'd been yelled at. Kagome turned to see the prince kneeling at her side, the dim, yellow light of the room shadowing his silver hair.

"What are you doing in here?" She asked, running her fingers through her hair as she tried anything to wake herself up further.

"I need you to eat something." He said, keeping his voice low so as not to disturb his niece. He smoothed down her bangs that she'd just ruffled in her half-asleep state, unwilling to resist touching her further and running his fingers down her cheek, over her jaw, and softly gripping around the back of her neck, his thumb continuing to caress.

"I'm not hungry." Kagome shook her head, speaking even lower than he. Inuyasha pushed the plate with the crust-less sandwich she hadn't yet noticed forward, stopping when it sat on the blanket directly in front of her.

"I don't care. You've been here for almost twelve hours and haven't had any food or water. I won't have that."

"Inuya-"

"No. Eat and I'll leave." He insisted, lips curving in the slightest knowing smile that told her he understood why she needed to do this without him around. Caving, and thoroughly appreciating his tender care, she sighed and dropped her head, giving him a defeated smile.

"I'm thirsty." Kagome feebly admitted. Inuyasha immediately twisted where he kneeled, grabbing a glass of chilled water he'd brought for her from the desk. She felt the liquid wash down into her empty stomach, taking sips at a time until half the cup was empty. She was almost embarrassed that he waited while she ate the peanut butter and jelly, his hand rubbing up and down her back as his ember eyes rested on the sleeping princess, though the feeling was washed away with the reminder of her immense adoration for the man. She wondered how many people were lucky enough to know the huge heart he had beneath the invisible shield he obligatorily wore to protect himself. He was deep, attentive, compassionate, and paid close attention no matter how many snarky jokes he made in response; she remembers telling him only once and months ago that she could live without crust and preferred a little more peanut butter than jelly instead of the fifty-fifty ration.

As soon as she was done, he held true to his word, taking the plate from before her but leaving the water behind for her to finish. Just before he stood to leave, Inuyasha pushed aside Kagome's bangs to place a lingering kiss to her forehead.

"I'm so proud of you." He whispered against her skin, respectfully leaving her to her work.

—

Relieved and exhausted, Kagome trailed close behind the servant, following a different direction than she was taken the night before. Passing a few windows, she took the opportunity to gaze out at the forest and grounds they overlooked, the clouds in the sky nonthreatening of another downpour and brighter as the sun peeked through thin pieces of the veil, bringing the melting snow on the floor to sparkle in the muted afternoon light. The man guiding her opened a glossy, wooden door, giving a small bow of his head as she smiled gratefully, smoothed out her dress, and stepped through.

The king bent over a table at the opposite side of the room, softly mumbling to the prince as they studied a large map. The queen watched on at one of the corners, but her mouth remained closed as if she had nothing to contribute to their conversation. Even before Kagome had fully entered, Inuyasha's eyes flew up, alert, his body following his gaze and straightening in attention. The king, though equally as observant of her presence, looked over to her less enthusiastically, expression as pressed as ever, though his eyes flickered from her, to his news-awaiting wife who had completely shifted round toward the door, and then back to her.

"Her Highness's fever broke late this morning, and it's consistently stayed gone. She hasn't had any chills or shown signs of it returning." Kagome smiled as she could visibly see Kagura's chest deflate of alleviation. "Her breathing is a bit steadier, but that's something that will take a little time to completely return to normal, as I'm sure you know. The same for her cough."

"What can we do from here?" Sesshomaru asked, finally lengthening the curve in his back to stand up straight. She hadn't noticed before since she hadn't seen the two right next to each other, but the elder of the brothers was half a head taller.

"She needs as much rest as she can get. Often, when she coughs, it hurts her left side." She pointed to the side of her ribcage which was about the area Rin would clutch when she doubled over and wheezed. "It'll go away as the infection leaves her lungs. I've left behind the herbs for the tea, a balm to soothe her airway, and some white horehound for her breathing. She needs to take the syrup once in the morning and once before bed. The balm can be used as much as you'd like - just rub it onto her chest. The tea will make her drowsy and help calm her cough as well, so definitely give it to her before bed, but if she seems like she needs it throughout the day, don't be afraid to give her glass."

"Thank you. So much." The queen said, her smile small but her gratitude evident in her tone.

"Of course. She's asleep at the moment, but is there anything else I can do right now to make you all more comfortable with this?"

"You've done enough." The king nodded levelly. "I'll have you compensated on your way out."

"Please, no. The princess was wonderful company. That's payment enough." Kagome smiled. "If you run low on medicine or her temperature spikes even a little, please don't hesitate to come get me or Kaede."

As Sesshomaru nodded, Kagome responded with a proper curtesy, making sure to give no fuel to Inuyasha's nerve to make fun of her like the first one she'd given to him.

"I'd like to make sure she gets home safely." Inuyasha said, his own way of requesting to do it himself. Though his expression hardly changed, he could see the hardening in his brother's eyes.

"We have work to do. You may have one of your men take her, instead."

When his golden eyes went back to the map and Kagome rose from her bow to the queen, he rounded the table, nodding toward the door for her to follow him out. So badly, he wanted to grab her hand, hold her waist, bring her close, personally thank her for all the work she'd put in. Exceptionally more so did he want to push her against the wall in one of the curtain-shielded nooks and kiss her so hard he starved for air and heard that whimper she gave that caused his fingers to tremble every time. It had been a grueling event just sitting there helplessly. There were constant uncertainties plaguing his mind as the night dragged on, and he'd made the mistake of walking past his niece's room in a fit of agitated nerves only to hear her crying, increasing his pain and the rip in his heart. All he wanted was a fucking moment of peace; something he felt he could easily get from three minutes of solitude with Kagome. But within the boundaries of his castle he was confined to act proper and professional. He refused to have her be the butt of every servant's conversations and gossip if they were seen. His guards, his brother, and his sister-in-law were aware of their relationship, but there hadn't been any sort of announcement that respectfully declared it, putting the rest of the household - and kingdom - in the know. Personally, Inuyasha found those annoying and intrusive as all hell, but being who he was, and in the family he was, the measures he took until they were ready was what was necessary to guard them both at the moment.

Kagome didn't do anything to push the boundaries, either. Even though a gravitational pull forced his knuckles to graze against her own, she didn't push the limits no matter how quickly he would have folded if she did. She respected his position, his responsibilities, him. And, god, was it frustrating to have to call Koga over to take her home when the least he deserved was to do it himself after the extraordinary amount of self control he exerted in the last twenty-five hours.

Sesshomaru bore him directly with his typical, slanted gaze as he returned to the study to continue their work. He read the expression thoroughly, at first interpreting it as resentment, but then understanding the hint of regret in the curve of his eyebrows. It was so subtle, something he could really only know from being around him since childhood, that he wasn't even sure his own wife knew what that manner looked like on him.

"We need to talk."

"About?"

"An alliance I've agreed to." Sesshomaru said, raising his chin a thin hair. Kagura's head turned slowly toward her husbands, disconcertment marring her features, seemingly as if this was the first she was hearing this news as well.

Inuyasha felt a bubbling begin to expand in his abdomen, a disturbance rising in him. Something didn't seem right.

"The Kingdom of Naraku has a formidable army."

"As do we." Inuyasha skeptically added.

"You and I both know how powerful they are. And ours is being tested. It would be stupid of us to stand by idly without taking _some_ sort of action to prevent it from happening again. I've been in contact with their King, Onigumo, and he's taken interest." There was tightness in his voice, but his eyes held steady on the prince. The bubbling was shifting, growing, climbing through his esophagus and into Inuyasha's throat. He didn't like the look on Sesshomaru's face, he didn't like that the queen wasn't consulted beforehand, and he definitely didn't like the opened envelope his brother pulled from the pocket within his coat. As he opened his mouth to speak, probably to dance around the details of the subject in his classic, steady fashion, Inuyasha cut him off, his tone sharp and abrupt.

"What's the catch?"

The king tensed, sealing his lips and clenching his jaw momentarily, the muscles in his face contracting with the motion. There was a small click from his tongue as he finally spoke. "He wants a marriage to his daughter to be the ties of our alliance. I've accepted for you."


	7. Chapter 7

"He wants a marriage to his daughter to be the ties of our alliance. I've accepted for you."

Inuyasha flashed cold, the spit of his swallow hitching in his throat as his brother's words processed. He'd given him away. He'd given him away like a stray to the pound. There was no warning that told Inuyasha this was even in the works; he was completely caught off guard. The cold shifted to temped, and the temped shifted to the kindling heat of a birthing fire, and that then shifted to a furious scald that brought his scowl to form and twitch and his fingers to ball into tightly-bunched fists.

"You did _what?"_ The prince seethed.

"I did what is best for our country." Sesshomaru stated, ember eyes rooted to his brother's.

"How the hell is a marriage best for our country?"

"Inuyasha, it's what's behind the marriage that matters; the message it puts across."

"Oh, it's the message you're going for. Here's a thought: make a banner!"

"Don't be so closed-minded."

"I am _not_ getting married!"

"You are."

"He is not getting married." Kagura spoke. Her tone was level, but dictating; a rule-all note drawing her husband's attention. She crossed the gap between them, holding out her hand expectantly, cocking a thin brow as she stabbed him with deadly, crimson irises. "What's in the envelope?"

"The agreement." The king replied, placing the parchment in her hand. The queen took out the paper from within the opened seal, carelessly discarding the now-empty envelope on the table beside her before unfolding the letter to see what was written. Hardly reading through, her eyes flashed straight to the bottom where the signatures sat, an intrigued hum leaving her pursed lips.

"As I suspected," She started, condescendingly. "This isn't endorsed correctly."

He furrowed his brows, shifting his chin further down towards her as he awaited an explanation.

"I don't see my signature anywhere. It's unofficial. In fact, I don't remember you bringing this matter to my attention at all. Do you have a habit of talking to me while I sleep, or…"

"Kagura-"

"Fix it." She ordered.

"I've already accepted."

"Improperly."

"The deal has been made." Sesshomaru said, the hint of frustration bringing a click to his tone.

Kagura took the top end of the paper between both hands, shredding it down the middle and dropping the pieces to the floor. "Arranged marriages are medieval. There hasn't been one in this kingdom in-"

"I know the statistics, but sacrifices must be made!"

"And as king, _you_ are the one that must make the sacrifice!"

"Kag-"

"You fail to realize that I am not talking to you as your wife. I am talking to you as your _queen._" She was the one to raise her chin this time, staring him down as if he were a criminal waiting for his sentencing. "Since you have such poor communication skills and I'm not in the mood to wait around for your plan of action, let me lay it out for you. You are going to get in touch with Onigumo. You are going to tell him that you spoke impulsively and that a marriage to his daughter is not suitable terms. You are going to offer him something else in trade. If he declines, you will find another kingdom to ally with."

"Do you understand how bad that will make us look!?" Sesshomaru bellowed.

"Now whose fault is that?"

"You are being unreasonable!"

"I wouldn't have to be if you'd consulted me beforehand."

The tension in the room was sliceable, dense, hard to breathe through, and Inuyasha watched through slanted eyes how his brother, though angry, latched his gritted hand to the table so as to control his temper, his nails dragging across the forgotten envelope. His nose twitched with his snarl, and his jaw was set forward. Kagura stood her ground, staring at her husband with the perfect amount of indignation, a challenging glimmer in her eye that rivaled the king's vehemency.

With an extraordinary amount of control, Sesshomaru spoke as levelly as possible, the snarl in his tone cooling to refrain from further pushing his wife's mood. "What do you suppose I offer them in trade, Kagura?"

"Oh, _now_ you want to talk it through with me? Now you want my help?"

Too late.

"Inuyasha, leave. I need to have a discussion with your queen."

"Inuyasha, stay. Your king's word has no power right now." She fired, eyes boring into the burning glare of her husband's.

"You would have been against my decision; that's why I never told you." Sesshomaru growled.

"Yes, I would have told you it was stupid! I would have told you to act rationally! I would have told you that you would be risking the relationship you have with the one blood-related family member you have left!"

"It's for our kingdom! We must do what is right!"

"After executing all other resources! What have you done, oh great king!? Did you offer him money, horses, food, materials, livestock, grain, a statue - if that's what he's into!?"

Sesshomaru didn't answer, his jaw still contracted and set, breathing so heavily it huffed loudly from his nostrils. A moment passed where he willed himself to steady, to calm as much as possible given the grilling he was receiving, closing his eyes as he fought back the disgruntled growl and raking his fingers through his silver hair.

"You didn't even try to negotiate, did you?" Kagura questioned, her tone soft yet holding heavy shock. "He told you his terms and you took it."

"Yes."

"You would have gone head-to-head with your father if he even considered doing the same to you."

He said nothing.

"You need to fix this."

"It may be too late."

"You better hope it's not."

Sesshomaru's begrudging gaze slowly shifted over to Inuyasha, and the prince could easily see how demolished his brother's pride currently sat. Through gritted teeth, he spoke.

"I will try to renegotiate the contract. I will _try._"

He could tell by the emphasis that the deal may already be solidified. Though in their country decisions were not set unless one was reached by _both_ the king and queen, it didn't always matter in different jurisdictions. A signature was received. There was a chance, and a good one at that, that the alliance was set, he'd be betrothed to their princess, and if the deal was withdrawn it was grounds for war. Especially going against a ruler as redoubtable as Onigumo. The breath was tediously pulled from Inuyasha's lungs, a hollow hole beginning to be carved within the center. His life, his freedom, everything he'd worked for up until now was balancing on the line.

Sesshomaru stomped past him, his cloak hitting Inuyasha's arm in his tenacity, throwing the door to the office open as he stormed out. Kagura, roiling in her steam, let his footsteps fade before storming out the door, herself, and heading in the opposite direction. And Inuyasha was left alone. To wait for the decision of his own future.

—

As the days passed, Inuyasha had quickly grown rough around the edges. He was never very good at waiting on other people, always preferring to get the job done, himself. That obviously wasn't possible in this case, and that fact, alone, had his blood coursing through his veins at an alarming pace. His brother had nothing to say to him since that day, and though Inuyasha could live without a single interaction given his degree of resentment, no news from the king meant no change. The more he walked passed without a word of update, the more uneasy Inuyasha became.

He didn't want to be around anybody, found himself only replying in grunts, and focusing on his work was entirely impossible and all the more aggravating. He hadn't been able to bring himself to go see Kagome. Not with the information he had plaguing his mind. How was he supposed to face her knowing he may have to leave her? How was he supposed to pretend everything was alright when he wasn't one-hundred sure it was? He couldn't tell her. He could hardly handle the anticipation, how would it be fair to string her along, as well? Just the thought of tears swelling in her eyes when he told her - no, he couldn't do it.

Not if he didn't have to.

Though, as the eighth day came and went, even he hated being around himself. He was intolerable. He was angry, unbearably nervous, and his stomach had been in shambles. No matter how many doors he shut himself behind, though, a certain little girl always knew where to find him.

There was a small, isolated room connected to the library full of aged novels with golden trim. It wasn't frequented by anyone as it served more as an altar of his late father's collection of books he favored; no one wanted to disturb the dust the magnificent dog demon king left behind. The room was initially intended for a place to read in solitude; it had a window that peered over the forest grounds with a cushioned alcove to rest along, and against the opposite wall was a medium-sized couch - big enough for slouching into, but not quite spacious enough to sprawl over in supreme comfort given the proximity of the room. Now, it was more of a closet. The couch was covered by a white sheet to protect it, and around the rest of the room were various items and boxes. Inuyasha had taken it upon himself to shove it all to the far corner, allowing the nook in the window to be one his retreats in the castle.

He'd heard her tiny footsteps coming, treading slowly and carefully on the carpet. She'd recovered well, the only thing tiring her out being her lingering cough that would take more time to fade, but she wasn't allowed outside. Not until the bitter season warmed and her chances of falling sick again weren't so detrimental. That meant she was stuck in the midst of the thick animosity plaguing the castle. No one really spoke other than for business-related matters, but that didn't mean the tension wasn't clear to observe. Even for an eight year-old. The handle twisted and the door opened at a meager pace, her head poking through the gap. Inuyasha turned toward her, gathering the cautious expression on her face and downward curve of her lips. Immediately, he grew concerned that something was wrong, bringing his legs down from the seat so he could swivel to face her.

Rin sauntered forward, allowing the door to close with its own weight, the soft click shutting them in. She'd seen her papa upset numerous times before and knew very well to steer clear of him until whatever had upset him was settled; sometimes that took ages considering his habit of harboring grudges. She'd seen her mama's temper, too, though her mother was a bit more attentive and capable of hiding whatever bothered her whenever Rin was around. What she'd never seen before was her uncle so distraught. He was more outspoken than her papa, more likely to act impulsively, more passionate in his endeavors, and sometimes needed space to recoup. Not once had she seen him like _this_, though, and not once had his mood stretched out for so long. She was worried.

With the way he spun toward her, she could tell he was pushing his own feelings aside in case she needed him for something. He was good like that. And that's what she was there to try to do for him. Wordlessly, Rin moved forward, stopping just before his knees as he bent to prop his elbows on his thighs, meeting her height perfectly. Bringing her hands up to his cheeks, she gently ran her thumbs beneath his lackluster eyes, missing the vibrancy they held not too long ago.

"What's wrong?" He whispered.

"I wish I was a knight." Rin quietly admitted, copying the caressing patterns he usually traced on her own cheeks when she cried. "That way I would be strong enough to fight off whatever hurt you."

Inuyasha shut his eyes defeatedly, feeling whatever defenses he had up crumble away as he sighed and leaned into the little girl's touch. He was that obvious, huh? She was so tender, so caring, and he wrapped his arms around her waist for the sweetest hug he hadn't realized he'd needed. She gripped the shirt at the back of his neck, her grasp on him tight and sorrowful, like she was trying to take the pain and angst away from him. Even after the hellish week she'd previously had.

"Can I stay with you for a while?"

He didn't answer, just dragged her closer to easily bring her into his lap.

Inuyasha settled his legs back onto the alcove cushion and leaned to rest along the wall. His niece sat comfortably between his legs, cuddling into his chest as he combed his fingers through the length of her hair. The feeling of her breathing, her arms holding him, her minuscule body weight laying against him, settling further and further as she continued to relax grounded him like nothing else had recently been able to.

The prince realized soon thereafter that seeing Kagome may be better medicine than staying away from her. He was in a slightly more rational place now. Slightly. He didn't have to say anything. He just wanted to see her and slip away from the pressure of his home. Five minutes. If he was allowed that, he'd be better balanced to wait a bit longer for an update from his brother without losing his temper. His aides stayed behind, both of them understanding the weight on his shoulders and the desperation in his voice.

The snow had melted and absorbed into the earth, the soil along the forest path finally firming from the softened muddy state it had been for the majority of the last month. The crisp air felt so different outside the castle walls; lighter, colder, distracting. It helped the drawl of his steps even out to a level pace, his eyes lifting from the ground to scout out the curve ahead where her cottage would be found.

"Hi!" A bright voice announced from behind him, startling a chill up his spine. The prince spun around to see a thoroughly shocked Kagome, brown eyes wide and brows raised high, visible through the few parts in her bangs.

"Christ." Inuyasha groaned, clutching his chest over his heart.

"Woah, are you okay?" She approached, a curious smile curving her lips. "I didn't think it was possible to sneak up on you."

"Did you even make a noise?" He asked exasperatedly, still not recovered.

"No, because I'm stealthy."

"You're the furthest thing from stealthy."

Kagome gestured to his current, crumpled state in an opposing manner, bringing the prince to eat his words just as quickly as he'd said them. He laughed, gliding his tongue over his teeth and nodding as he admitted defeat to the cheeky girl.

When he didn't move closer or reach to pull her in as he normally would, and his smile gradually faded, so did hers. He felt off and distracted, and with the way his shoulders weren't held as high as they normally appeared, she felt like she could literally see a shelf of lead weighing him down. Stepping forward, Kagome cautiously reached for his fingers with her own, moving at a pace to respect his dubiety. Inuyasha sighed out when she entwined themselves together, standing so close to him she had to tilt her head back to see his face.

"Something's wrong." She pointed, tone faint and welcoming.

"It's nothing." He quickly dismissed, shaking his head though never taking his eyes from hers.

"You're lying."

He only shook his head some more, leaning down to rub the tips of their noses together. Hers was cold and soft, and he could feel himself quickly growing precarious as she established a firmer grip on his hand.

"You can tell me if you want to." She breathed, and Inuyasha ducked his head to bury his face in the curve of her shoulder and neck, withdrawing his hand from hers to wrap both of his arms within the confinements of her warm cloak and around her waist. Instantly, Kagome fastened her own arms over his shoulders, her fingers threading through the short, silver hair at the nape of his neck. The concern wringing at her stomach was nearly debilitating. She never thought she'd see the day where the stoic prince appeared so unsteady. Even his hold on her was tighter than usual, his breaths hot against her skin, his fingers clutching the fabric of her dress at her back. "What happened?"

Reluctantly, Inuyasha peeled himself back to look at her, giving a wane smile. "I don't want to talk about it. I just came to see you. I can't stay long, though."

She gathered the expression he maintained, returning his smile with a little more warmth behind her own. She understood, and she wouldn't push. Slowly, she pressed to her tiptoes, just barely skimming her lips over his to get him to inch down her way. His breath was warm against her mouth, soothing when she wasn't the one that needed it, and she gave him a soft kiss, skimmed her lips again, then kissed him fully.

How could he possibly leave her?

He was aching inside at just the thought, refusing to allow the kiss to end quickly and holding the crook of her jaw to soak her in. He'd missed her. He'd made a mistake staying away when he didn't have to. More than anything, he wanted the hollow that had expanded an inch in the last week to be filled by this singular moment.

"I'm sorry I haven't visited recently." Inuyasha sighed, resting his forehead along hers. He felt the small shudder her body released as she breathed, shaking her head against his to dismiss his apology.

"Don't be. I understand. How's Rin doing?"

The prince stood up straight, smoothing her dark hair to the front of her shoulders. "She's fine. Better. Much better. I never got to properly thank you for that."

"No need." Kagome smiled, trailing her fingers back and forth over the long sleeves of his forearms. "It's my job. I'm just so glad she's better."

Inuyasha leant down for another scant kiss, lingering just above her mouth where their lips tenderly grazed.

"I have to go."

"Okay. I love you."

He kissed her forehead, forcing himself to step away and walk back toward the castle.

Her chest felt heavy as she watched him stride away. In the small moment they were able to share with one another, she didn't feel like she'd done everything she could have to help alleviate whatever troubled him. Sliding her hand into a small pocket in the side of her dress, her fingers fumbled over a thin chain, dancing over it ambivalently. As she found the thick adornment to it, she swallowed the feeling and called out to the prince, clutching it all and holding it tight. Inuyasha turned back and Kagome made her way to him, reaching for his hand and turning it upward. Covering his palm with her own, she allowed the necklace to trickle from her grasp, curling his fingers shut to hide the item within.

Inuyasha peeked as soon as she let him, analyzing the golden chain with the heart attached at the bottom and cocking a brow her way. Kagome's cheeks were sprinkled red, her brown eyes wavering from the necklace to the floor.

"It - uh - papa gave it to me about a year before he died." She began, finally looking up at him. "He'd had it for ages and I always loved it. He said it was one of those trinkets where the more you wore it, the luckier you were. A good luck charm. Keep it."

"Kagome, your father gave you this."

"I have a million things that used to belong to him sitting in my house. I want you to have that -" She paused, the flush of her face deepening slightly. "Because it used to belong to _me_. And maybe it'll work for you."

Once more, he studied the necklace, letting it dangle from his fingers and noticing the engraved markings in the shiny, golden heart. The hole was closing in his chest. All at once, he felt at peace, calmed, a smile inadvertently growing on his face, his stomach igniting in a homing, encouraging flutter. His attention flickered back to the girl, and he feigned a grimace.

"So, remind me, what _type_ of cheese are you, exactly?"

"Alright, give it back!"

"I'm just curious, because that was a fondu-level move." He laughed, raising his arm so she couldn't reach the necklace to snatch away.

"You've ruined the moment, you can't have it anymore!"

"It's just a question!"

"You're the worst!" Kagome hid her face behind her hands with a groan, and Inuyasha, though still chuckling, stepped forward, lightly flicking the back of her hand to get her to drop them. When she did, rolling her head begrudgingly to look at him, he gently pushed some hair behind her ear, smoothing the pads of his fingers over the softness of her cheek.

"Come here." He whispered, kissing her, starting off tender and deepening it as he pulled her closer to him, both hands curving around the back of her neck while the heart of the necklace rested along her clavicle. "Thank you. I needed this."

—

It was almost unfair how used to waiting Inuyasha had grown. His mind had adjusted and convinced him that no news may be a good thing. Maybe they were working on different terms, maybe Sesshomaru was just being prideful and if it didn't concern Inuyasha anymore, there was no reason to report it. He wouldn't put it past his spiteful, older brother. But when his messenger came for him during swordsman training, boisterously calling out his name in the middle of a match and getting him jabbed with the blunt end of a wooden, makeshift blade while his attention was diverted, the pain of his stomach sinking hurt far worse than the force Koga inflicted him with.

The prince followed the imp down the corridor, a heat beginning to bubble in his core. It could have been something completely different that was about to be reported to him, and he tried convincing himself so, but the dreadful feeling kept building, growing, rising. His fingers tingled with the anticipation, and he flexed them over and over to get the sensation to leave. Nothing worked. Nothing in him would settle. Instead, as the door to his study came closer and closer, Inuyasha felt himself becoming angrier and angrier.

Inside, his brother sat behind his desk, ember eyes already braced on the opening as he entered. The king's elbows were propped on the wooden surface, hands folded in front of his mouth, and irises flexed with consternation. No.

No.

"No." Inuyasha spoke, voice strict and scowl forming.

"Inuyasha."

"No."

The door shut as Jaken bowed and backed out, leaving the brothers alone - the most irresponsible decision in Inuyasha's opinion.

Sesshomaru took in a slow drag of breath, pushing forward the creased papers before him for the prince to observe if he so chose. "I've tried to renegotiate. He won't take anything else. The alliance has been signed; he won't allow us to back out."

Inuyasha chuckled all too incredulously, feeling more and more rocky as each word left the king's lips. He dragged his fingers through his hair, spinning around as he walked towards the opposite side of the room because the sight of the bastard who'd signed his life away made him furious, sick, and as he approached a small, wooden table with a few books sitting atop it, he swiped his hand beneath and tossed the entire thing, not bothering to pay attention to what it collided with.

"Inuyasha!" Sesshomaru bellowed, standing from his seat in an authoritative form. "Maintain yourself!"

"Go fuck yourself!" He retorted, facing him once more and stalking forward. "How the hell did we even end up here!? You said you didn't fight it at first, so why the hell not!?"

Sesshomaru's jaw visibly tensed, lips curving down in condemnation. He made no approach to explain, but Inuyasha could see it all written clearly on his face.

"Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me! Are you really _that_ petty!?"

"At the time I had been proposed with this, your relationship didn't exist."

Inuyasha scoffed.

"It had no business existing thereafter! I accepted once the line was crossed!"

"There's nothing, absolutely _nothing,_ stating a royal can't be with a commoner! It's ill-advised, but not illegal!"

"What sort of message does it send out, Inuyasha!?"

"Unlike you, you pretentious jackass, not everything I do is a political statement!"

"You will watch your tongue." The king narrowed his eyes, raising his chin a few inches.

Uncaring, Inuyasha shook with rage, his veins boiling as he stared Sesshomaru down. "What the hell for!? To show respect to the shit show you've become!?"

"Inuyasha!"

"You signed me away without debate in order to get me to conform to your idea of what's right! And you used our country as an excuse!"

"Kill two birds with one stone, as they say." The king slighted. "You can't possibly tell me you're this upset over a girl."

Again, Inuyasha laughed, the cynicism in his tone perfectly evident. "You think this is all because of Kagome? You think this doesn't remotely have anything to do with the fact that I've lost my freedom to choose my own direction!? You took it away from me! You gave me away like a fucking object using a tradition that hasn't been practiced in over a century! This is about me! _My_ life!"

"Get over it. Like I said, I've tried renegotiating -"

"Am I actually supposed to believe that!?"

"Whether you believe it or not, it doesn't change the fact that I have. I understand that you're upset with me, but that won't change anything either. I thought I was doing what's best, and quite frankly, I still believe it's for the better. Nonetheless, given the offers I've extended, they've all been rejected and the original treaty is in full swing. If I withdrew from the agreement entirely, I not only risked making the entire kingdom look uncoordinated and disgraceful, but also risked backlash from their ruler. I had to make a choice, and when it's between my people and my brother, you should understand which way I obligatorily had to lean. There will be a marriage. Soon."

The prince clenched his fists, seething from the way Sesshomaru seemed to state everything so calmly; like it wasn't a big deal to him. All expression seemed to vanish from the king's eyes as he sat back into his cushioned chair.

"I apologize for the way this had to be."

He wasn't sorry.

"As royalty, we must be prepared to make sacrifices for our kingdom. I made a rash decision, but there's no way out of it. The alliance will strengthen our forces and lessen our chances of an attack the sooner it's known, though. Sometimes, we must swallow our differences and accept the change that's to come. As prince, this is your responsibility. Your duty. You understand that, don't you?"

It was like his tone carried a condescending backhand to it, smiting Inuyasha, but he was plagued by the tail end of it all. No matter how much he fought, it didn't change the fact that he did have a duty to his people. There was an attempt to breech their forces months ago, and though he detested the route his brother had taken to rectify the situation, it was done. Their alliance with the kingdom of Naraku would protect their people. It would protect Kagome. And this was the sacrifice he rancorously had to accept.

"Yes." Inuyasha ground out, ember eyes falling to the side dejectedly. "I can't help but wonder, though - if you disagreed with our relationship so strongly, why is this the first I'm hearing of it?"

"Would it have mattered? Would it actually have made a difference if I spoke of my objections to you?" Sesshomaru rhetorically asked, cocking a brow at his younger brother. "You're living out this rebellious stage of your life, and quite frankly, it's not my problem. I considered it a fling. One that was going on too long - quite like a show you've expected to end about five times over and it's continuously dragging out. You've had your fun. Now it's time to grow up."

The prince absolutely seethed, as if Sesshomaru was implying he'd been so kind as to _allow_ his relationship with Kagome to exist in the first place. It was patronizing, disrespectful, impudent, and cold. His blood was boiling maddeningly, and it took an extreme amount of self control to reel in his temper and not lash out, wanting one more thing explained.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, _Your Majesty, _but there seemed to be a hint of regret when you first approached me with this bullshit. Pointedly, it's out of character for you, but -"

Sesshomaru sighed grittily, blinking slowly as he rolled his eyes, propping more on one elbow now than the other. "Inuyasha, do you think I _enjoy_ disappointing people."

Inuyasha shrugged a brow in response.

"I'll admit, I hadn't realized how much you'd come to care for the girl. I asked once and you didn't seem sure. Even afterward, when you spent more time with her, I never heard a thing. It wasn't until I personally saw the way you looked at her that I understood."

"These feelings are between she and I. Why should I share them with anyone else, no less you? The only two people that information concerns are well in the know; I didn't think I had to get on my knee and sputter out my feelings for you too. Should I have reenacted the kiss, as well?"

"Then how was I wrong to assume it wasn't serious?" Sesshomaru asked, ignoring his brother's spewed sarcasm.

"How were you _right_ to assume so?"

A pause. A feint waver in the man's eyes before steadily gluing back onto Inuyasha's. "Believe me, if I had known the storm that was coming from Kagura, I would have thought more carefully."

"Right. For Kagura's sake." Inuyasha scorned.

"Inuyasha -"

"Spare me. It's done, isn't it?"

The king sighed out, leaning forward to lean evenly on his forearms. "It is. Understand that your relationship with the girl is hereby over, too."

"As is ours." Inuyasha said with no hesitation, resentment evident in his words. There was a falter in his brother's straight-set lips, a particular hardening in his jaw setting it forward. "I will go to Kagome tomorrow. I'll tell her."

"No." Once more, the king slid the papers forward for Inuyasha to study, but he didn't move to take them, knowing full and well Sesshomaru was about to tell him everything he needed to know. "King Onigumo and Princess Kikyo will be here in two days. I won't risk you being seen with another woman and offending your fiancee. You may have Kagome brought to you."

Fiancee. It was too thick a pill for Inuyasha to swallow just yet.

"Two days?"

"Two days. I'd tell you the series of events that have been organized, but I risk you tearing up the rest of my office. I think we'll save that for later."

Inuyasha swallowed the rumble in his throat, feeling a grimace contort his face. Truthfully, he didn't want to know what was going to happen anyway. He'd heard enough for the moment. What disturbed him, brought his stomach to churn and ache, the hollow in his chest once more returning with an abysmal vengeance as he already began to feel emptier than he'd imagined, was the thought - the fact - that he would have to break this to Kagome. That he'd have to break _her_.

"I will have her brought in tomorrow." He conceded, the growl escaping as he spoke.

"The sooner the better." His brother raised his brows, inferring he wanted it done immediately.

_"__Tomorrow. _Let me gather what I'd like to say to her. She deserves a rational explanation."

The king gave a curt nod, and as nothing more was said, Inuyasha spun on his heel, heading toward the door. He needed to put distance between them. Quickly. He needed to quell the colliding winds of his fury and vacancy before he accidentally dropped the defenses that had inadvertently formed and showed Sesshomaru the weakness he swelled in.

"Inuyasha."

Without a sign of acknowledgment, the prince threw the large door open, a bang erupting as it slammed against the wall while he stormed away.

—

Kagome stood on the thin, front steps of the small cottage, waiting patiently for someone to answer her knock. She held the two looped drawstrings of the small pouch daintily, fiddling it between her fingers. It was hard to stay still in the cold, even beneath her deep green cloak, her muscles forcing her to tense or fidget for any source of friction.

"Kagome." A soft, woman's voice spoke from the side, and she turned at the familiarity of it. Sango and Miroku stood feet away, their expressions mostly solemn with the hint of a forced smile. Taking a moment to look around them, she noticed no one else; no other companion that was usually at the head of their pack.

"Hi," She breathed, a fog appearing before her mouth and dissipating upward. When their hardly curved lips faded to somber-pressed lines, Kagome began to feel the beginnings of uneasiness swaying her form. "What's wrong?"

After a small moment, as if the two knights were silently debating who should be the one to speak, Miroku opened his mouth. "Would you mind coming with us? Inuyasha would like to see you."

The door opened beside her and Kagome's attention jolted back to the purpose she'd come here for. The elderly woman stood with the door cracked, a quilt wrapped around her frail shoulders. The skin of her face was a little brighter than the last time she'd dropped by, and Kagome was confident that her illness was finally starting to pass.

"Kagome, you sweet thing. I would have sent my son to pick this up later." She spoke, gently placing her hand to the back of Kagome's.

"I wanted to drop it off, myself, so I could check in on you. How do you feel?"

"Much better." She smiled, though she could see the fatigue behind it all. "Still battling this god forsaken cough, but better."

"Good, this will knock you right out then." Kagome opened the small, velvet pouch, pulling out the little container of syrup. The old lady gratefully took the medicine, glancing over the woman's shoulder and noticing the castle guards behind her.

"O-oh! Knights! Is everything okay?"

"Yes, of course." Sango smiled. "We're friends of Kagome's. There's nothing to worry about, ma'am."

"Well, alright." She shrugged deeper into her blanket, giving one last courteous smile to the apothecary assistant on her steps. "I'll just blend this with some tea tonight before bed."

"To drown out the taste? I'd do the same." Kagome winked, waving goodbye before the door was shut. Carefully, she stepped down the three steps, approaching the two aides that hadn't moved. That uneasiness from before had unnoticeably been pushed aside during her interaction with the woman, but now it had returned, increasing an ounce as she noticed how unsure Sango's expression was. Something was wrong. The prince wasn't here and they were bringing her to the castle. There was no helping the irrational thoughts coming through. "Has something happened? To Inuyasha?"

"No," Miroku assured with a shake of his head. "He's fine, I promise. He'd just like a moment with you."

It didn't take anything more than that to get her to nod and follow behind them. Something still felt off. The knights weren't talkative, and the air about them was dense and sullen. The uneasiness sank into her stomach, roots slowly stretching out to make home in the organ as they stepped through the gates of the castle, her fingers continuing to fidget along the small pouch, more so out of nerves than the chill this time around, hoping the texture would help to soothe. She wished they'd talk to her, tip her off on what was going on, say _something. _The less they spoke, the worse it all sat.

Peculiarly, as the three of them crossed through the gates, she noticed housekeepers and groundskeepers scampering about almost frantically. Granted, Kagome had only been in the castle once before, but she was willing to bet the hurried paces, the amount of people tending to hedges and vines, the meticulous care while waxing the bannisters and decor inside, the fresh sheets and bedding being carried to bedrooms on the upper floors, and the amount of profuse apologies she'd received after being bumped into during their frenzy wasn't exactly normal. What was going on?

"He's right through there." Miroku gestured with an extended hand. They'd hiked up to the third floor and followed the curve in a hall to the right, entering through a door that only led them to another, albeit smaller, hallway. There weren't maids storming around this area, though; it was quiet in comparison, untouched, and seemingly private. She looked at the double doorway Miroku pointed her towards on her left. With how intimidated she felt, one would think the carved patterns in the wood were the thing that brought the shaky exhale to leave her nose. The two aides stood back, and with a push she had to give herself, Kagome stepped forward, her fingers wrapping around the cold metal of one of the arched and curled handles and twisting it open.

There was a little corridor in the entrance, and after shutting the door as quietly as possible, she stepped through, her eyes immediately taking in the polished wood of the walls and ceiling. It was a deep brown with a hint of red, the trimming resembling dark chocolate. Towards the far wall sat a large desk, papers scattered over the entire surface while an unorganized stack sat on the side. To the right of the desk, almost in the center of the long wall that stretched the room, was a large fireplace, a fire burning within and warming the room. As Kagome walked further, she noticed her prince. He sat on the couch along the opposite wall of the mantle, his elbows propped on his thighs and face buried in his hands, ears pinned low against his head. And her heart plummeted.

As she stepped closer, drawn to him, pained by his crumpled state, Inuyasha glanced up, finally noticing her. His lips were parted but he said nothing. His ember eyes were bright and illuminated by the crackling fire just across from him, and they conveyed a message she wanted to calm. Kagome kneeled just before his legs, so close that her own knees grazed him on her way down, the black dress she wore catching on his pants which she adjusted to sprawl out along the carpet.

She hadn't sat back to wait for him to speak. She couldn't. Not when he looked so torn; so anguished. Kagome filled the space between his thighs, her hands pulling his own to wrap around her waist, and when they gripped exactly as she wanted, the heat of his palms soaking through her clothing, she leaned forward to hug around his neck. It took a moment, a very small moment, for him to relax and sigh out some of the tension that held him still, tucking his face within the safety of her hair and throat.

"What's wrong?" Kagome whispered.

Inuyasha only held her tighter.

She figured she was there so he could finally tell her what had been bothering him for so long; she had a feeling this was correlated with his mood during their last meeting too. If she weren't kneeling on solid flooring, the anxiety of it all would have her swaying like she was on a boat out at sea. What was so bad that he couldn't talk about then, and had to have her brought in now? What had him so distracted and muddled that he didn't hear her approaching or sense her presence? It was harrowing, that was plain to see. What was worse to see was his state, and she didn't know which one she was more afraid of.

"Please, talk to me. I'm here."

And for the first time since meeting Kagome, he'd wished she wasn't. He felt nauseous even trying to gather his wit, the words he'd have to eventually say sinking into his stomach like a pill taken without food. He could only pray she hadn't become as attached to him as he had her. He knew where his responsibility lied. He knew that even if he had a choice, when the two options were put before him there never actually was one. This was his role as prince. It wasn't just a fancy title with a large house. He was born and raised to do whatever needed to be done to provide for his people. Given the route the king had chosen, it paved the path he now had to take. Whether he liked it or not.

Slowly, he released his hold on Kagome, unable to drag himself far as he tenderly stroked the soft curve of her jaw, resting his forehead along hers. If he could just selfishly keep her there until the very last moment, if he could just hold her to him until he was no longer allowed, he may be able to gather the courage and strength to face his coming fate.

"I love you." He sighed. "You know I love you."

"You're scaring me." Kagome meagerly admitted, feeling an emptiness begin to tingle in the center of her chest. He was saying it like there was a counter to his feelings, and she was so afraid to hear the rest.

"Just listen, okay?" He made no move away from her, the fingers of one hand instead curving around the back of her neck. "This isn't easy, so just listen. There's a possibility the country is in danger. We don't know by who, and that's a huge problem, but we've been threatened. It's not something we can take lightly. In order to strengthen our forces and provide additional safety to everyone under our watch, the king has decided to create an alliance with a nearby kingdom. There's a catch, though. A stipulation that we were unable to negotiate away from."

His pause gave the information enough time to sink deep into her abdomen, grabbing her stomach and bringing it to drop with the weight of his emotion. She had nothing to do with country affairs, and there was a specific reason he'd brought her in to inform her of all of this. Kagome felt sick, a hard lump climbing up her esophagus, heat crawling uncomfortably over her face. Pulling away, she took in his unsteady expression; an expression he was energetically trying to maintain, but the slant in his eyes and the way his brows furrowed and lips curved down gave him away ruthlessly.

"What is it?" She asked, dread evident in her quivering voice.

Inuyasha breathed through the trepidation, his entire body hot. Her lips progressively became more pink as she pinched them together and worried the bottom with her teeth. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were shadowed, he could physically feel the apprehension riddling her small body, and it was killing him. God, this entire thing was killing him. Like a nervous tick, his hands shakily traveled over her neck and shoulders; whatever skin was available to him until her dress drew the boundary, even going so low as to graze over the softness of her chest in his angst.

It was hard to get the words out, each letter sticking to his tongue like they'd been glued there and he had to peel them off one-by-one. He didn't want to do this. He didn't want to leave her. He didn't want to lose Kagome.

But he had to.

"I have to marry their princess."

Everything in her abruptly halted and stilled, and she felt whatever composure she had in her lips drop as her mouth parted with his admittance, the thin skin peeling apart slowly as the only reaction her shattered heart could muster in that moment. She tried pulling herself back together, tried swallowing the rock and the information simultaneously, but it was proving to be harder than imagined. In order to regain even a small portion of her form, she had to look away from his eyes, his broken eyes, staring at his thigh beside her until she became capable of exhaling fully and pushing the initial impact of his statement away.

"You what?"

"I'm engaged. To someone else." Inuyasha forced out, abhorring every syllable he spoke. Watching her nod, watching her disbelieving smile appear, watching her eyes flutter to him, then away, back to him, then to the wall only stabbed him further.

Her eyes stung, and she blinked profusely to prevent the tears from spilling over, but the ache in the forming hollow of her chest was nearly impossible to ignore.

"Kagome, this wasn't my doing." The prince pushed on, pulling her closer once more. "Please believe me when I say I had nothing to do with this. Sesshomaru made the decision without consulting anyone else, and that was it. Nothing could be done to take it back."

"And you tried?" Her tone was almost desperate, and she suddenly didn't know what to do with her hands. She wanted to return his touch, but was she allowed? Was it appropriate? Would it make the situation worse or more bearable? She was weak with the temptation, though, and couldn't continue to hold back her fingers as they gripped at the cloth of his forearms, venturing further to hang onto the curve of his muscle.

"Yes! He made them several different offers, but the alliance had already been signed. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Inuyasha said passionately.

Somewhere along the lines, Kagome felt like she'd forgotten he was royalty. Not because it wasn't how they were introduced, but because she'd come to know the man beneath the crown so well. On top of that, she was beginning to feel foolish to think she could have actually belonged in that fairytale. She wasn't of any noble blood. She didn't understand his world. It was vastly different from her own, and it was one of the reasons he'd hidden himself for so long. It was clear how much he didn't want this; she could see it in his eyes, his rigid tension, feel it in the twitch of his grasp on her, hear it in his voice. All she could do was take that for what it was. And as hard as gratitude was right now, she could appreciate that not a single part of him was cold.

She loved him. So much. And countering, or arguing, or showing how much she was hurting would only make things all the more harder on the prince. She couldn't do that to him. Kagome bowed her head slightly, pressing her lips together to fight the quiver of her chin, taking in a deep breath in a fighting attempt to compose herself.

"I understand." She said, finally looking back to him. "It's okay."

She noticed the tiniest of flinches in his brow.

"My only wish is that this wasn't something forced on you."

"What?"

"That it was something you wanted."

"Why would I want this?" There was a hint of incredulity in his tone, his hands falling to take hers from his forearms and hold them in his palms.

"So that you'd be happy." Kagome's demeanor began to waver, the ache in her chest intensifying as she imagined him with someone else. She pushed herself to breathe through it, to smile as well as she possibly could.

"Stop."

"I just want you to be happy."

"Being with someone else is not going to make me happy."

"But I can wish it, can't I?"

"No! I don't want to hear that! Stop masking your feelings for my own sake, I can see right through you, idiot!"

"I don't know what else to do!" Her voice betrayed her entirely, cracking, a feeble sob breaking through as she held his hands tighter at the moment it clicked inside that she needed to let him go. She needed to stand. She needed to walk away. Because this was so despairingly difficult on both of them, and she was the one that had to leave, that _could_ leave - to end the torment sooner. It hurt. The thought of losing him. The picture of him no longer in her life. She'd felt this emptiness once before, and it had crippled her then. It hadn't hit her fully yet, but as she loosened her hold she knew it would stab her through her heart the moment she couldn't see him anymore.

As she dragged her fingers over his open palm and out of his own grip, she noticed the prince glance to the side, his body hunching slightly. Her hands trembled horribly, chilled when taken from his warmth, but she reached for the little, velvet pouch on the floor that she hadn't realized she'd dropped and busied her fingers along it to quell the shaking. Unsteadily, Kagome rose to her feet. It was too hard to pretend she was collected, so she just focused on doing one thing at a time without crumbling over.

"I should go." It came out as a hoarse whisper. Broken. Soft. Weak. She had to go, she had to turn, she had to walk, but god it was so grueling to leave Inuyasha. One step at a time, her boots, hidden beneath the dark black of her dress, stepped along the carpet until she pushed herself to turn toward the door.

The tremor in her voice was more painful than what he had to bear alone. He hated that he was the one that put it there. The prince stood from his seat, tensing to keep himself in one place because he knew he'd reach for her if he didn't.

"If I could, I would choose you one hundred times over."

After a small moment, her expression folded as the sadness she felt became so overwhelming that crying was the only form of relief available. "But you can't. And I understand that."

She turned to leave once more, and he couldn't take it. Another step and he would have shattered. Inuyasha lunged for Kagome, grabbing her wrist and spinning her back to him to kiss her so rampantly, so heatedly, so incredibly emotionally driven so that maybe, just maybe, she'd understand the crushing weight of his love for her. It was amazing to think how quickly she'd become his everything, and a part of him feared he'd never be the same after she left through those doors.

Kagome was fracturing in his arms, gripping onto the sides of his shirt as she failed to fend off any sobs that broke through their kiss. The tears were hot, pouring from her eyes and searing her cheeks, but he never relented in his fervor and she never pushed him away. Through the whimpers that escaped, proclaiming her effervescent weakness for her prince, _the_ prince, she kissed him back with just as much unwavering devotion. Because he'd always be her choice.

"I'm sorry." Inuyasha breathed gruffly, willing himself to take a brisk step back.

It was a long minute before Kagome could compose herself, hiding her contorted face behind her hands as she held her breath to prevent the violent sobs that threatened to rack her body. When she could feel her clenched muscles calming, the cries she muffled subsiding, she released a full exhale, prepping herself to get through thirty more seconds. She swallowed the thickness in her throat, and ignored the expanding pain in her chest, and took a few more breaths before she ducked her head another inch and wiped as much evidence of her tears away as she could. When she was ready, she looked up at Inuyasha, her lips still tingling from the pressure of their final kiss.

"I have to go." She said. The expression on his face was dull and anguished. Kagome reached up, grazing his cheek with her thumb which he hastily leaned into, shutting his eyes to take in her touch. Then, with a control she didn't know she had, she pulled away and headed out the door before she could be stopped again.

The corridor outside was empty, so she used the space from where she stood to the exit to appear as if nothing was wrong. The last thing she wanted was for the entire, busy castle to see her like the mess she felt she was. With a final swipe at her eyes, Kagome took a deep breath and opened the door to the main hall where Sango and Miroku waited with even deeper, solemn faces.

They knew. That's why they'd looked at her that way from the beginning.

If she was asked if she was okay, everything would boil over and spill out, and she could see the question on Sango's lips. Kagome needed to be alone, and as the knight's mouth parted, she moved to beat her to the punch.

"I should be getting back. Kaede might get worried soon."

"Kagome -"

"It's still light out. So - um - please let me walk myself." She trudged passed them, her fingers aggressively fiddling over the small pouch as she shrugged the cloak snuggly over her shoulders, bracing for the cold outside.


	8. Chapter 8

Inuyasha walked down the steps and into the main courtyard where his family and several other caretakers were present, struggling to button the gold cuff on the blazer of his suit. The gates across the yard were open and ready, the place dead silent - like a funeral was being held instead of a welcoming.

His niece twirled around her father's legs in her gown, playing with the way her ruffles swung back and forth, only stopping when she noticed him approaching. She ran over and gestured to help, so he knelt down to her height, allowing her to squeeze the cufflink through the slim hole. She fixed it a lot quicker than he was managing, and thereafter went on to straighten the golden braid held in the loop over his shoulder.

As Rin finished, she gently squished his cheeks together. "So handsome."

"You're a pest." He chuckled, shaking out of her hands and standing.

"How kind of you to join us." Sesshomaru sarcastically remarked. Without so much as glancing in his direction, Inuyasha coldly crossed to stand on the opposite side of Kagura, their little princess shoving through to stand in between her parents.

It would be easy pretending Sesshomaru wasn't around; he wasn't the type that said much to begin with. It was only necessary to respond to orders from his _king_, but otherwise he had nothing to say to his _brother_. If the prince was nothing more than a disposable object, then Sesshomaru was nothing. Period. He'd do what needed to be done, as it was his royal obligation. He'd spend all the time that had apparently been pre-arranged with Kikyo, he'd go for strolls and get to know her, he'd begrudgingly make her feel comfortable, and eventually he'd tie the knot to tie the alliance. He'd have a wife, and the kings would have their way. The small talk and snarky comebacks between he and his brother would cease to exist, though. He was perfectly serious when he said their relationship was over. If Sesshomaru thought he was just being dramatic, that was fine. Frankly, his opinion didn't matter. He could suck a royal dick for all he cared.

In the distance, he could pick up the sound of the carriage wheels rolling over the stones of the street, and hooves rhythmically prancing along - albeit some were off beat which told him plenty of horses were on the way. His stomach felt queasy with the dense anticipation. In a matter of minutes, he'd be introduced to his fiancee and all hope that this wasn't actually happening would be gone. How many unsuspecting city-folk were watching the royal carriage roll through the center of town at this very moment, curious to know what was taking place? Had Kagome seen it too? Had she glimpsed within the small window and seen the woman he had to leave her for? The thought of her having to endure that discomfort made him feel even more nauseous. He was the only one that should have to deal with this. He could only hope she was completely unaware of what was taking place.

It was like lead was rooting in his core, growing thicker and heavier by the second as the foreign knights appeared at the gates on their steeds with a grand carriage following behind, the metal climbing like branches through his organs and bundling in his throat. The world was progressively becoming bleaker, their land silent, the wheels weighted on the cobblestone like they were pulling a coffin along.

Everything seemed to stop as the large, overly-adorned carriage halted just before them, their own knights straightening their postures even further to accentuate their alert stances. Two of the foreign guards hopped down from their horses, opening the doors and increasing the tension tenfold. A middle-aged-looking man poked his head out, a smile slighting his lips as he carefully stepped out on the golden steps of his wagon, a hand decorated in gaudy jewelry bracing on the supportive arm of an aide. It was interesting to see anyone with more audacious taste than his own brother. His boots even had lifted heels that clicked loudly against the ground as he stepped to the side of the guards, lifting his chin toward the ruler opposite him. His hair was long, healthy, wavy, and thick, tied in a ponytail at the crown of his head where the ends hung to meet his mid-back.

The gelatinous anxiety pooled in Inuyasha's chest as a small hand appeared from the shadowed confinements of the carriage, long, dark, straight hair swinging into view as who he suspected to be the princess was assisted out onto the steps. Her free hand held the length of her ruby-colored gown out of the way of her shoes, cautiously stepping to the stone where she smoothed the slim texture down. Her torso and sleeves were sheathed in a floral lace, the neckline modest and landing just beneath her collarbones. She didn't smile. She didn't even look up from the ground. All she did was take her place beside her father and purse her lips with a quick twitch of her brow.

"Welcome." Kagura smiled with a polite bow of her head.

"Thank you. What a -" The adorned ruler paused, amusement written into the lines of his face. "_charming_ country you have."

"Your compliment is appreciated." Sesshomaru said, giving more of a nod than a bow. "Introductions are in order. I am Sesshomaru and this is my queen, Kagura -" He paused as she held her hand out palm-down towards their guest, the man dignifiedly stepping forward to gently grasp her relaxed fingers and kiss her knuckles. "Our daughter, Rin -" The small princess stepped forward to give a quick and bouncy curtsey, holding the sides of her pastel pink dress out a little further than was necessary. Then, she held her hand out in a similar manner as her mother, waiting for the same respect. The man bent at the waist to kiss her knuckles, chuckling as she gave a sassy little turn when she returned to her post between her parents. Inuyasha swallowed his own laugh, side-glancing to watch as the princess discreetly wiped her fingers on the back of her dress. She only did that when they'd left a bit of spit behind, and it always grossed her out. "And that is my younger brother, Inuyasha."

Following suit on his brother's _humble_ nature, the prince acknowledged them all with the slightest nod of his head. It took almost too much restraint not to turn to see the indignation he'd hoped was subtly convulsing on Sesshomaru's expression.

"Half brother, is that right?" The opposite king inquired, his deep voice holding level. Even so, Inuyasha's eyes flickered over at the unnecessary curiosity.

"I beg your pardon?" Kagura cocked her head daringly.

Sesshomaru placed a hand on the small of her back, coming off as husbandly as possible while communicating for her to stop. "Technically, yes. We have different mothers." He answered plainly.

"And adopted?" He gestured to the little girl between them.

Sesshomaru didn't take his stare off of their guest, though Inuyasha noticed the slight flex in his jaw. Raising his chin, he stiffly answered, "Yes."

"Fascinating." He continued to smile. "I am Onigumo, the ruler of Naraku." He failed to bow or nod as he proclaimed the obvious fact. "And this is my daughter, the princess, Kikyo."

She gave a poised curtsey, brown eyes flashing up to greet them all, though her lips remained straight and formal.

Tearing her eyes from the presumptuous king before them, Kagura averted her direction towards the quiet princess. "Your Grace, it's a pleasure to meet you. You must be tired from your trip here."

"You have no idea." She spoke, giving a meager and crooked smirk.

"Would you like to get settled in your quarters before dinner?"

"Actually, I think I'd like to go for a walk to stretch my legs."

"Allow Inuyasha to escort you around our garden." Sesshomaru suggested. The prince almost wanted to cringe; it was like a horribly forced blind date.

"That's not necessary." She bluntly dismissed, and Inuyasha couldn't resist the raise of his brows at the defiance.

"Kikyo." Her father's tone remained even, but the scolding was evident nonetheless. With a slow and deliberate roll of her eyes, the princess turned her head to face the prince, giving a steady sigh. She almost seemed _upset._

_"_Lead the way, your highness." Kikyo said, walking ahead of him nonetheless. Reluctantly, feeling completely bewildered by her attitude, Inuyasha followed - though she walked with such confidence that it seemed _she _was the escort here, not him.

They wandered in muddling silence, the princess always a step or two ahead of him, especially as they reached the large hedge walls that concealed the garden. He could practically feel the resentment roiling off of her. He thought it would be all too easy to hang back and just saunter along as she walked the path, not a word being said because, truth be told, he didn't want to talk either. The awkward was growing increasingly unpleasant as he continued to overthink it all, and it was causing him to become agitated. There was a lot of weight on his shoulders given this was their first meeting. He was allowing distance between them, and he still couldn't help his restless fingers from fussing and flexing in response to the tension. To make matters worse, it felt like her irritation was growing, too; huffs leaving her nose as she shook her head in the opposite direction of him, arms crossed over her chest, the corners of her lips curved downward.

Giving in, all for the sake of _some _sort of relief from the cumbersome circumstance, Inuyasha gave conversation a shot. "Kikyo, was it? How long w-"

"No." She abruptly interrupted, finally looking at him. "We're not doing this small talk thing."

"Alright, I tried. Ball's in your court." He said, throwing in the towel with a shrug while wearing a dismissive grimace.

"Good. Glad we're on the same page." Kikyo continued to walk.

After another moment of quiet, the prince opened his mouth once more, quickly picking up on her annoyance just at the click of his tongue. This was going to be fun. "You know, we _might_ have to talk at some point."

"It's not necessary."

"So, you don't plan to talk to me at all?"

"Exactly."

"Today?"

"That's what I said."

"How about tomorrow?"

"Not likely." She replied more sternly.

"Hey, you're the one that said we're on the same page. I'm just trying to be diligent and make sure we actually are." Inuyasha defended, bracing his hands in front of him.

"Well, do you feel you've gotten all your answers, prince?" Kikyo stopped, staring at him daringly.

"Just one more," He marked the air with a single finger. "How about during the entire duration of your stay?"

"Oh - oh my god." She remarked incredulously, stiffly turning away from him as she went to walk ahead.

"I feel the question is justified!" He called after her, not bothering to hide his amusement as he followed close behind.

"Make a guess, prince. I don't take you for a half-wit."

"Well, thank you." Inuyasha grinned with an arrogant bob of his head. "So, that's a no?"

"Ding-ding-ding." The princess chimed dully.

"Hm. Okay." He pursed his lips, nodding. "It's not something that I can't get behind, but it may make the marriage a bit boring."

"Nothing to worry about since we aren't getting married."

"We're not?" He blinked in surprise.

"We're not." She answered simply.

"We're not. Okay."

"Good lord," Kikyo stopped once more, spinning around to face him, her long hair nearly whipping him the face in her fervency. "Are you naturally this irritating?"

"Are you naturally this sweet?" He sarcastically rebutted.

"Why should I be sweet?"

"Why shouldn't I be irritating?"

"Do you respond in anything but questions?" The princess seethed.

"Yes." Inuyasha grinned, bringing Kikyo's furious inhale to hold and emphasize the hollow of her throat.

"Did you _actually_ think we were going to get married?"

"Forgive me for being under the incredibly powerful pretense that this entire thing was prearranged, no less by _your_ father."

She didn't seem to have a quick response that time, nor a response at all, the hot stare in her eyes glowing brighter. Her lips closed to seal, and she notched her nose an inch higher before insolently turning back around to continue marching the path of grass.

"I mean, we tried to get out of it and offer something much better than my hand, but _nooooo..." _Inuyasha continued.

"Believe me, if I had a choice in the matter, I would have taken you up on that."

"I'm sorry, princess, but you've confused me. You say you didn't have a choice, but here you are acting like you suddenly do."

Kikyo paused, yet again turning around to face Inuyasha. This time, a small smile graced her pink lips, hinting her conceit. "The difference between you and I, sir, is that while you're witty, I am intelligent. I can manipulate the field in whatever way I choose. And we are _not_ getting married."

After a moment, soaking her statement in, Inuyasha conceded a steady nod, impressed by her adamance.

"You don't believe me?"

"It's not that."

"Then, what is it?"

"I'm just interested to see how this will go down."

There was a slight softening to her features. "If all goes according to plan, it'll end up in my favor."

"And, if I may be so bold to ask, what exactly is your plan?"

"You may not be so bold." Kikyo hardened once more.

"Why the hell not?" Inuyasha's expression twisted in frustration.

"While I've allowed you to know the inevitable outcome, I have no reason to share the intricate details with you."

"Is it maybe because you don't actually _have_ a plan?" He taunted, carelessly walking ahead.

"You'd be surprised." Kikyo shrugged, following but not closely.

"Then enlighten me."

"Give me one good reason why I should."

"You're so stuck in your own damn misery that you fail to notice I'm in the same boat as you." Inuyasha turned just in time to see her offended grimace. "And that maybe I'd be willing to help out."

"I don't need any help."

"Right, because you're so intelligent?"

"Are you mocking me!?"

Inuyasha nodded earnestly.

"Why you crude, impudent, ill-mannered, _poor excuse of a prince!_"

"Did I strike a nerve, fiancee?" Inuyasha cocked a brow, the arrogant smile growing steadily on his face. Kikyo's eyes slanted dangerously. "Seems calling you that name was more offensive than anything you just said."

"You have the audacity to claim you're in the same boat as me, but it almost seems you're okay with being forced to marry." The princess challenged.

"Oh, don't get it twisted. Not a single part of me is okay with what's going on." He returned the glare.

"Then why haven't you come up with your own way out?"

"You assume I haven't tried?"

"Can you blame me? You're so calm about it all."

"Your father threatened us if we withdrew! And my brother's ego is a force to be reckoned with! Go ahead, think whatever you want, _princess,_ but everything was set up behind my back and it was too late for me to put in a proper fight when I found out!"

Kikyo stood rigid, taken aback by his temper and the way his ember eyes almost seemed more vibrant with his fury. He was vehement, and it was clear to see the truth behind his tone. And that's exactly what worried her. She knew her father was a conniving ruler; overall fair and courteous, but conniving when he wanted something his way. Self-awareness was a virtue, and the princess was very knowledgable of where she inherited the same personality trait. She'd never been too involved with the negotiations and affairs pertaining to other kingdoms; it was always her parents and their council that was responsible for that. When her mother died, Kikyo was expected to step forward and take her place at the table, but two years have passed and she's yet to be included in a single meeting. Thankfully. She's never had an interest in the political associations they headed. Ironic, yes, but it was true. She respected her duties as princess, but admittedly never reached for more like a queen. That being said, she knew her father. She's especially paid attention to the man he's become since her mother passed and was no longer their to impose balance. His manipulative techniques grew stronger, his reach for power grew wider, his compassion for others came second to it all, and she was unsurprised to hear he'd made a threat when something he wanted might have been taken away from him.

And he's had his eyes on this kingdom for a while now. The great dog demon once ruled it, and the man, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's father, was benevolent, honorable, strong, vigorous, and _wealthy._

As she stood there, eyes wide and mind opening to him, she witnessed the simmer of the prince's anger. He rolled his eyes and flexed his jaw, a trait he noticeably shared with his brother when offended, slighting away from her.

"What sort of threat did he make?" Kikyo carefully inquired, keeping her tone as level as possible.

"I don't know the details. I was intentionally kept out of the loop." He briskly answered. "You don't seem shocked."

"I have no reason to be. This was his idea to begin with, and once he gets going, there's no stopping him."

"Must be so hard to live with." He remarked, and she could have sworn she heard the lick of sarcasm in between.

"You're one to talk. At least my dad doesn't keep secrets from me."

He merely shrugged a brow in response, a meager bob in his head.

There was a moment, an awkward and tense and dragged out moment, where the two of them stood there, turned in opposite directions, both with crossed arms over their chests, bicep-to-bicep, staring down the paths created by hedges. Though she didn't need to admit it out loud, and wouldn't, he was right. They _were_ in the same boat. His situation may even be a little worse considering he was caught off guard. With one last, tedious, clenched exhale, Kikyo disposed of her resolve.

"My plan is to come off cold to each other. The way I see it is much like a Chinese finger trap - do you remember those?"

"Mhm."

"I've had my fights with dad, and I'm assuming you've had it out with your brother. It hasn't worked because we're pulling against the trap. Recently, I went up to my dad and told him I'd do it. That's the give. They'll think we're trying to make it work, but if they can see that we just aren't getting along and we're a volatile match, how could we ever be the faces of an alliance? The slack is set, and we're set free."

Inuyasha took it all in, eventually turning to face her as she did the same.

"One-sided slack isn't as efficient as both fingers pushing inward." He mentioned.

"Perhaps."

"What do you say? Think you can hate me?"

"Shouldn't be too hard." Kikyo smiled. "What about you?"

"Call me a poor excuse of a prince one more time and you're half way there." Inuyasha held out his fist between them, waiting patiently as the princess looked at his knuckles, up to his eyes, then back down to his knuckles. With a breathy laugh, she bumped his fist with her own.

"Let's do this, _fiancee."_

––

Inuyasha propped his feet up on the cushion before him, dropping his head back on his seat with an exaggerated sigh. They were on their fifth day of being confined together for hours on end, and while Kikyo wasn't awful company, their regimen was repetitive and boring. Between breakfast and lunch they were to do some sort of activity together, which was usually spent with the horses. She liked the animals and it gave them an opportunity to show their feigned animosity in front of the caretakers. The faster rumors spread around the castle, the better. The more disturbance, the higher the chances of embarrassment for the kings. Lunch was optional, but after the hour, they were to spend it in the library. Why? According to the advice of a counselor, there was nothing more intimate than intellectual bonding. Inuyasha openly laughed when that bit was shared during a meeting their first night. Dinner was precarious but fun. At that point, they always appeared like they'd had enough of each other; which was fair considering the amount of time they were forcibly glued to one another's side. Snide remarks and rude comments were passed, and one time Kikyo insulted his manners so unsuspectingly brutally that his shocked response was genuine, and after she was scolded by Onigumo, she rebutted with a simple, "I call it like I see it." Inuyasha had damn near almost spit his ill-timed mouthful of water from a laugh he had to hide. There were quite a few occasions he'd caught his brother rubbing his temples defeatedly at the head of the table. Still, nonetheless, afterward he was always ordered to escort her on a walk through the garden where they had to keep their acts going strong since the high windows of the castle could overlook the designed path of the hedges. Once they got to a specific and narrow part of the route where a willow tree shielded them in privacy, the two of them could finally break and laugh about their earlier insults, giving each other kudos for creativity where deserved.

"Do they really expect us to fall in love by locking us in a room full of dusty, old books?" Kikyo asked, a thick noise clapping as she ardently shut a novel.

"I wouldn't go so far as to say they expect romance, but I have a feeling they're just trying to get us used to each other." He replied, not even bothering to lift his head. It was safe to talk normally right now, they were alone. If Inuyasha sensed or heard anyone approaching outside, he'd give a signal by either tapping twice on something or giving a distinct but subtle gesture.

"Right, because who needs romance? The real fundamentals of a relationship are basic toleration."

"Why does it even matter? Would you _like_ to fall in love with me?" Inuyasha quirked, cocking his brow suggestively.

Kikyo slightly grimaced, her nose crinkling with the twitch. "That's disgusting."

"You say that now, but -"

"I'll say it again in twenty minutes if you'd like."

The prince chuckled, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his thighs as he planted his feet on the floor.

"May I ask a question?" She spoke, putting the old book back in its space and pulling the neighboring one out. He gave a small nod. "Your sister-in-law isn't very talkative with your brother. All jokes aside, is it because _they_ were arranged and forced to learn basic tolerance?"

He shook his head, amusement showing in his smirk. "No, they weren't arranged. Our kingdom has been against these sort of marriages for over a century, so believe it or not, they chose each other. They just aren't an outwardly affectionate couple. They'll hold hands, or place a hand on each other's leg, or something simple like that in front of other people, but otherwise they're private."

"I haven't even seen that from them."

"Yeah, well between you and I, they're going through a rift."

"What happened?" Kikyo hadn't even opened the novel in her hands yet. She merely ran the pads of her fingers over the aged spine, her interests undivided on the story.

"When I said Sesshomaru set everything up behind my back, he did it behind hers too. In our country, nothing passes without the consideration of the king _and_ queen. It's not standing if paperwork doesn't have _both_ of their signatures on it, but for some reason he figured he could get away with it this time around since I'm guessing your country doesn't uphold the same policy."

She shook her head to confirm he was correct.

"Right. So, she feels betrayed. Not to mention, Kagura is completely against the practice of arranging marriages, _which_ he said contributed to his reasoning for not consulting her. It's a huge mess. She's come around to him a bit since the whole ordeal started, but the lady can hold a mean grudge. I've seen worse from them."

"Wait," Kikyo stepped forward, coming to stand behind a tall, cushioned seat across from him and resting the book on the head of it. "If your country has been so against arranged marriages, why would your brother so easily offer you up for one? I read his correspondences; he didn't even try to negotiate until after the fact. I was banking on his refusal."

Inuyasha visibly tensed, she noticed. The muscles in his jaw flexed, his brows twitched together minutely, his fingers curled, and he looked away.

A flash of heat had quickly soared through his body, starting at the crown of his head and ending at his toes. Sesshomaru had admitted to not trying, but it was still salt in a barely-closing wound to hear it affirmed by someone else. "Because he's barbaric." Inuyasha replied gruffly.

"I - I don't understand." There was a gleam of warning in his eyes when they flickered back her way. This was a sensitive subject to him, she could tell, but the more he seemed like he didn't want to talk about it, the more she found herself wanting to know. What fueled his passion in this fight? Even if he said it just wasn't fair to him, she'd stand by that, but unfairness didn't bring out the powerful response she'd just received. There was more to it. She wasn't blind; she hadn't only noticed the queen's avoidance of pleasant interaction with her husband, but also the fact that Inuyasha hadn't uttered a single word to his brother since she and her father showed up. Kikyo suddenly wanted to know the exact purpose of their alliance against the alliance - especially since she'd never expected to form one almost immediately off the carriage, no less at all. Inuyasha clearly felt as angry as she did about it, so what kindled that fire? "There had to be a reason."

"There was." He tersely stated, averting his eyes once more.

"Which was?" After a brief moment of silence, she tried again. "Inuyasha -"

"Let it go, Kikyo." Inuyasha abruptly stood from his seat, the heavy chair toppling on its feet slightly from his vigor as he marched over to a bookcase far from her. Even more now, she wanted to know, though she didn't want to push his limits. The last thing she felt they needed was actual animosity between them. Typically, she'd drop a subject if someone was so resistant to speak. She wasn't the intrusive sort, but something was drumming inside of her to figure the prince out.

Sparing him some distance in case that was what he needed to feel comfortable, Kikyo decided to try the tit-for-tat approach. "My kingdom hasn't had an arranged marriage in about forty years or so, but they're not frowned upon so no one gasped when my dad offered. Did I expect one to happen to me? No. If my mother were still around it never would have, but she's not and here we are." She shrugged, appreciating when the prince leaned against the shelves to listen. "The thing is, I never planned to marry. It's nothing but a political statement anyway, there's no affection for royalty. I've learned much in my position and I'm grateful, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't be as educated or as skilled as I am without this born privilege. Over the years, I just found myself growing more and more jaded by the environment. Power, riches, alliances, army, wars, taxes, politics, scandals, councils, courting, love is nothing compared to thrones and tiaras, you'll be wealthier, you'll have a name -" She interrupted her own speech with a disgruntled groan, gripping the old book tightly in her hands, her spirit vibrant in her words. "I want none of that. I followed along for the sake of my mother, but again, she's gone. My direction was averted from the throne to the door. The crown sits heavily on my head because it has no meaning to me. I show my face to the world and I'm ashamed. I see the sick and the homeless looking back at me in my country, and I'm _ashamed._ They're a representation of our lack of compassion, and I don't want to share in that. The court picks and chooses those we aide, and I've always, _always_ asked why we don't try to help more. We have the funds, we have the resources, so why can't we expend them? I realized many years ago that I didn't have what it takes to be queen."

"Or maybe you're exactly what your country needs. You could turn everything around."

"No. I couldn't. Not yet, at least; I lack the drive. I don't want to sleep in a bed that's turned over _for me_ and pretend I know the pain burdening my people. I strongly feel I need to know their struggle firsthand. I can't do that as princess, either. _Maybe_ in the future I could return to take responsibility because then I'll truly understand empathy. Until then, my wish is to just live amongst the common, help the common, and be common."

"So, you want to run?"

Kikyo laughed, a hint of cynicism in her breath. "You must think pretty low of me right now, don't you? Hearing a princess say she doesn't want to be one sounds pretty ridiculous."

"Not at all." There was understanding in his tone, and even in the way he crossed his arms and shook his head.

"Then you know how an arranged marriage could get in the way of all of that. I'd planned to denounce myself. How can I now with this trap?"

Inuyasha's attention flew to the door on his right, an inquisitive brow raising as one of his ears gave a meager flick. He held up a finger to stop her from talking, and when he recognized that the footsteps were coming their way, he signaled so Kikyo was aware. Like a flick was switched, the princess immediately backed away, creating an even larger distance, facing the shelving of a bookcase while she finally opened the novel she'd been holding.

The large door opened and Inuyasha casually looked over as if he didn't already know who was coming, giving the little girl a stern look as he set down a book he'd just picked up to walk over to her. Rin fully entered, a bashful glimmer in her expression as the door shut with its own weight behind her.

"Something wrong?" He asked, kneeling before his niece. She feebly shook her head, pursing her lips and fiddling with the length of her sleeves to hide her hands. "Then what are you doing in here?"

"I - um - I just wanted to check on you." She whispered, brown eyes inconspicuously darting around the room.

"Why?"

"Just because." Rin shrugged.

"Because _why?"_ He pressed, feeling his resolve dwindling. It wasn't fair how unlawfully cute she was.

"Because Princess Kikyo is _really_ mean to you and I don't like it." She admitted, finally speaking above a hush. A scowl was forming on her face and Inuyasha legitimately had to swallow his humor. "I thought if I caught her in the act while you two were alone, I could reprimand her so she knew there was never a time where she could get away with it."

"You came in here to reprimand her?"

"Yes." Rin notched her nose upward. Great, she was picking up traits from her father. "Hearing it from her papa every night must not mean a thing to her, so now this is princess-to-princess!"

"You sound like you're ready to duke it out with her." Inuyasha finally laughed. There was no way Kikyo couldn't hear the riled up temper of his niece at this point.

"Maybe I am. She probably wouldn't be so mean if she went out in the sun every once in a while for a little vitamin D! She's ungodly pale!" Rin flailed her arms, whipping him in the cheek with her sleeve, and Inuyasha wasn't fast enough to cover her mouth as she had aimed the insult directly towards Kikyo's back. The foreign princess slowly turned, a shocked look marring her features. Where had this temper even come from? He'd never seen the normally-bubbly girl more than frustrated before. They must _all_ be rubbing off on her.

"Alright, simmer down there, kid! It's one thing if she and I are going at it, but I don't want you getting in the middle!" He spun her back around to face him, inspecting the dress she once more offended him with. It was too long in the arms, loose around the waist, and easy to trip over. He'd have dismissed it as a work in progress, but there's no way she'd be allowed to walk around with something with pins and needles in the hemming - which this clearly was sewn and complete. "Why are you wearing this? It's too big. You need to have it taken in."

"No." Rin quickly dismissed the notion, fervently shaking her head, clutching the sleeves to her chest like she was protecting an item he could easily take away. "It was a gift. It would be rude to alter a gift."

"A gift from who?" Inuyasha grimaced.

"Kagome! Well, her mama, really. But still."

"Kagome?" His face fell. He couldn't prevent the reaction, the hollow in his chest that he'd grown acquainted to giving a tingling surge to remind him of its presence.

"Yup. Remember the lady that came to help while I was sick when Kaede couldn't? I really liked the dress she was wearing, and she said she'd have her mother make one for me! She probably had to guess my size, which is why it's a bit big, but there's room to grow into it!"

"When did she stop by?"

He noticed her own expression falter slightly, most likely in reaction to his own. He was too serious, but he couldn't help it. He found himself aching at the thought of Kagome being so close while he idiotically was too preoccupied. Every night before bed, while the world was quiet and he had nothing else to distract himself with, all he could manage to think about was her. Was she okay? Was she smiling? Eating? Sleeping? Had that normal, rosy color returned to her cheeks? Because the thought of them remaining as flushed and feverish as they were the day they'd broken up tore him apart.

"She didn't." Rin mentioned. "Kaede brought it with her this morning during my checkup."

It was a small weight off his shoulders hearing that, and he feigned a smile to brush it off in recovery. "Well, that was very nice of her. Do you like it?"

"Like it? I love it! It's the perfect shade of pink and look -" The princess reached behind her neck, yanking some cloth over her head. "It has a _hood! _Who needs a cloak when you've got one of these bad boys?"

"You if you're going outside." He chuckled faintly, dragging the hood further over her head to cover her sight. She squeaked as she giggled, following his tug until he let go and spun her to face the door. "Now get out of here. You'll get in trouble if your mother finds out."

Rin twirled right back around to face her uncle, sparing a glance in Kikyo's direction, then leaning in to kiss Inuyasha's cheek. "Don't listen to anything she says about your ears. She doesn't know what she's talking about." She said, returning to her hushed tone. He smiled, gesturing towards the door with a nod and watching as she finally listened and left.

"Looks like you've made yourself an enemy." Inuyasha laughed, standing as soon as the door shut. "Watch out, she's a feisty one."

"So, you're in love." Kikyo spoke. Again, his expression fell. From the smallest interaction, she'd gathered that. Was he so obvious that just Kagome's name brought out every secret he concealed? He said nothing in response, sauntering back over to the book he'd left out of place on the shelf. "You not rejecting it is just as powerful a confirmation. Did your brother intentionally separate the two of you?"

"Kikyo, what's it gonna take for you to take a hint? I don't want to talk about it!"

"Don't you think we should know these things about each other, though? What are we fighting for?"

"Our freedom! Isn't that good enough?"

She began marching toward him, her long black hair flowing behind her shoulders. "Not anymore. I don't think we're passionate enough. We've been doing this all for our own, individual, selfish gain bu-"

"Isn't that good enough!?"

"But if we redirect that energy selflessly -"

_"Jesus Christ!"_

"We may be able to burn this engagement to the ground!" The princess halted just before the prince, dark eyes burning zealously. "Yes, we've lost our freedom of choice, and that's substantial, but everyone already knows we're upset about that! In retrospect, it's seen as a small issue to get over for the sake of the alliance!"

"I can guarantee you Sesshomaru is well aware of _everything_ I'm not happy with!"

"Yes, but _we_ aren't! Fighting for selfish gain can only go so far for people like you and I! Look at how much we've won with it so far, _fiancee!_ We're in a room together while our rulers plan out the details of our wedding! I'm mad because I know what _I'm_ losing, but I want to feel _your_ rage on top of it! We're managing to create sparks, but who wants to play with sparklers when there are fireworks to watch!? Come on, Inuyasha!" Kikyo jabbed him in the chest. "Let's make a show!"

She wondered if his set jaw, heaving chest, and tense silence meant he was considering the option she'd put before him. If she were losing the battle, she felt he'd have turned away from her, walked in a different direction, told her to shove off, or all of the above. But he didn't - yet.

"I've told you how I see things. I don't want to be queen, or princess, or the Kikyo everyone's come to know. I want to be free from the bejeweled shackles I wear. I want -" She paused, feeling the fire in her warming the blood that drove through each vein of her body. "I want to be normal. And you... you've had someone taken from you."

He was hot, furious, dreading the topic she kept pushing because talking about it only put it all at the forefront of his mind when he barely managed to shadow it now. He couldn't accept her logic; it didn't exactly make sense for him because he couldn't make sense of _anything_ with the searing heat bubbling in his chest. At this point, he figured, why fight it anymore? She wanted the truth? Fine. If it got her away from him, then fine. His voice came out husky and clenched as he spoke. "Yes."

"Does it hurt?" Kikyo reached, her demeanor softening tremendously while her tone came gently.

His shoulders sunk slightly. "Yes."

"Why did he do it?"

"She's a commoner."

"Is that -"

"No. It's not illegal. He just has control issues."

It was hard to swallow as a lump built in her throat. The emotion he'd been hiding was overcoming her, his reddened cheeks wringing at her heart. How unfair. How cruel. His own brother had the option for a wife yet he had the audacity to steal the same from Inuyasha because he disagreed with his choice. "Did she love you too?"

"Yes." Inuyasha averted his gaze, wondering how much more his body could possibly ache just from speaking about it all.

"How long has it been since you've seen her?"

"The day before you showed up. That's when I told her."

"You had to leave her and face me all in the span of twenty-four hours?"

"Yeah." He chuckled bitterly, nodding. "Sure did."

Kikyo felt a heavy weight settle into her stomach, gradually bringing the organ to sink lower into her abdomen. How dare Sesshomaru? How dare her own father? She didn't care that Inuyasha's brother tried to renegotiate everything after his mistake had been made, because he'd boldly made it in the first place. The man wildly insulted his own family. And her father, her king, he coldly ignored the attempt to rectify the situation. She wanted no responsibility in tearing apart a relationship. How cold to expect heartbreak to be put on the back burner for a meager and already-crumbling alliance. If she could physically feel the pain from the fresh wounds the prince wore, how bad was it on his end? She had no idea what he'd been holding in for the sake of privacy, suffering with in agonizing silence, and quite frankly, she was glad she imposed.

"You'll be with her again soon."

"You can't guarantee that." Inuyasha quickly rebutted. "Who's to say we'll be successful? And even if we are, who's to say Sesshomaru won't just toss me into another engagement? I don't trust him, and I couldn't put her through that."

"Believe me, sir, when I'm done here, your brother will be too scarred to try again."

"You seem so sure of yourself."

"Manipulation takes skill, and skill take confidence." Kikyo stalked over to a large bookcase, gliding her fingers over each individual spine until she reached a large, brown, heavy hardcover novel, sliding it free from its dwelling. It took effort to carry the thing, and even more to lift it over her head as she reached the glass table in front of the window across the room. "And we will _not_ be getting married." She threw the book down on the face of the glass as hard as she could, causing the thing to shatter to the floor, shards scattering everywhere.

"Jesus - what the hell are you doing!?"

"How dare you, Inuyasha! You disrespectful, half-blooded, nit-witted mongrel!"

"Mongrel!?"

"You disgust me with your foreign ways, and I absolutely _refuse_ to be stuck in a room with you for another second!"

Inuyasha could hear guards running their way, and he caught the clever twitch of Kikyo's brow. The girl really knew how to take it to the next level. Before they got too much closer, the prince closed a good amount of the gap between he and Kikyo so they could be in each other's faces. "Thank god! I thought I'd never fucking get rid of you! How could someone with an attitude like yours call herself a princess, you apathetic bitch!"

"Oh, _I'm _apathetic!? At least I tried to make the alliance work! I, personally, gained nothing from this contract while you gained protection for your people! You couldn't even swallow your pride for the sake of them!"

"Your Highness!" Sango threw the door open, Miroku and a handful of Kikyo's guards crowding the entrance to take in the scene.

"Well, have _you_ ever had to sit next to something that's been regurgitated before!?"

"Excuse me!?"

"Believe me when I say that I _was_ thinking of my people when I realized marrying you would be the biggest mistake this country could ever take on! You present yourself as a proper lady in the public's eye, yet I've come to know the true vomit beneath the veil!"

"Your Grace -"

"How dare you speak to me this way, you repugnant beast!?"

"I call it like I see it, isn't that right!?"

"Oh, go fuck yourself!"

"You first, _princess!"_

"I hope you realize the depth of the mistake you've just made, because there will be no redemption for a man like you!"

"I think I'll be just fine."

Kikyo swiftly spun on her heel, her hair flying over her shoulder as she stormed toward the door, flicking her wrist vehemently so all of the guards would part for her. Her men followed after her, footsteps fading down the hall and leaving him to stand beneath the stare of his aides.

"What happened?" Miroku approached. Inuyasha stomped passed him, ember eyes alight with fury.

"Have someone clean this up."

––

The large hall was quiet, Inuyasha's boots clipping loudly against the flooring as he entered the strained room. Onigumo, Sesshomaru, and Kagura all sat at the head, the dusk light shining in through the tall windows. Kikyo stood before the three rulers, not even slighting a glimpse back toward the prince. No guards took witness, his niece was missing, no council was present, which meant this was bad. It had been two whole days since Kikyo and he muttered a single word to each other, avidly working as hard as possible to resist all efforts to put them together. They both adamantly refused to cooperate, claiming the other was too awful to further entertain the idea of marriage. Meals were skipped just to avoid being in the same room, and the silent seething coming from Sesshomaru and Onigumo as a result had reached an unsettling point, even for Inuyasha.

"Approach." Sesshomaru spoke after the prince halted his walk a number of feet behind Kikyo.

"I'm fine here, thanks."

_"Approach." _Kagura ordered more sternly, raising her chin and cocking a brow challengingly. The prince buried his hesitation, following his queen's demand and moving up to stand beside the princess.

"You both are being disgraceful. The misconduct you've brought into my home is more humiliating than anything I've ever witnessed before. You're acting worse than children!" When neither Kikyo nor Inuyasha responded in defense of themselves, Kagura continued. "What happened to cause this feud between the two of you?"

"Your Majesty," Kikyo looked to her evenly, neither bold nor intimidated. "I'm embarrassed by my own actions, I admit. I've never behaved this way before, but I'm afraid your prince brings out the worst in me."

Inuyasha glanced at her incredulously, unable to say anything before the queen's voice prevented his.

"You blame Inuyasha?"

"I sincerely do."

"How immature."

"I beg your pardon!?" Onigumo fired from his seat, leaning forward to look at her from the opposite side of Sesshomaru. Kagura merely held up her hand to silence him, her red irises never leaving Kikyo.

"With just that statement, you've only proven to be unaccountable for your actions. A member of poised royalty, an example for your people, and _this_ is the basic mindset you bring to the table? Shameful."

"You will _not_ speak to my daughter this way!"

"Oh?" Kagura turned her attention towards the king, reflexively swinging her hand away from the armrest as Sesshomaru reached his palm to silence her. "And I'm sure you'd say you're proud of the way Kikyo's presented herself, given you're just as arrogant as she! You're an egotistical ruler at best, pretending you know the solution to every damned thing! It was your conceit and power-hungry ways that drove these two together, do not forget!"

"Enough!" Sesshomaru barked, anger crinkling his brows. He flashed a warning toward his wife, and as she begrudgingly sealed her lips, he barely spared a side glance at Onigumo before boring his glare into his brother. "You should be embarrassed, as well."

"I'm not." The prince stated, venom on his tongue as his vehement stare met his king's.

"You will be."

"Is that a threat, sire?"

"Refuse to be around each other all you like, nothing's changed." Inuyasha had to fight the way his muscles brought his fingers to bunch into fists, controlling the movement so it was more subtle as his nails pinched into his flesh. "You'll realize a marriage will be much more manageable if you agree to be on common terms. Whatever offended you two from the beginning, drop it."

"How can you expect us to be the faces of an alliance!? _You_ are the one who should be humiliated if you think any of this is appropriate!" The princess shouted, her chest beginning to heave.

"Kikyo!" Her father silenced her. "There is no erasing ink. The contract has been signed by your kings. Therefore, you will _make_ this appropriate."

Inuyasha watched the dangerous infuriation swell in Kagura's expression.

"Tear it up!" Inuyasha ordered.

"I refuse." Onigumo sat back in his chair, folding his hands over his lap as if he held all the power in his overly-jeweled palms.

"Dad."

"Why should my country go without just because you two are having a pre-marital spat?"

"What are you after?"

"What's rightfully mine, now."

"Yours?" Kikyo challenged.

Sesshomaru's jaw flexed as it all rooted deep, ember eyes slowly shifting toward the King of Naraku. He knew something was off; while discussing the details of their alliance, Sesshomaru attempted to delve deep to see why, exactly, Onigumo was so against renegotiation. Kagura, herself, tried to have the conditions torn to break the engagement, but to no avail. Onigumo merely smiled and refused to comply. Now, as it was all nearly set in stone, it seemed he wasn't too afraid to admit he audaciously felt something here _belonged_ to him.

"First it was _your_ country, now we're specifically narrowing it down to _you? _And what of me? Am I nothing more than a plastic pawn?"

"Kikyo, dear, you've said quite enough." He dismissed. "I've graciously offered the brute strength of my military to these people. Why shouldn't I get payment in return? And what better receipt than a legal tie of matrimony. It's a no-take-backs sort of deal."

"What!?" Kikyo fumed.

"Is this for our wealth!?" Inuyasha stepped forward. "We offered you money!"

"You offered me _some_ money. I feel, at the expense of what I'm contributing, I should be entitled to reach into your pockets whenever I so please. Not to mention, being an ally to _The_ _Great Dog Demon's _country will be quite the notch in my belt given its own, individual, strengths. My daughter, you should be proud of what you represent."

She knew it. She knew it from the beginning that this was what he wanted. Still, hearing it admitted was despicable and nauseating. What had her father become?

"So, that's what it was." Sesshomaru steadily rose to his feet, his wife quick to stand behind him to control his hand. "I knew you had an agenda. You're not as clever as you think."

Onigumo hardly flinched, looking dead into the king's eyes from the low height of his cushioned chair. "Yes, but you were too clouded by your own to see it before you signed your pretty signature. No wonder the queen's is required beside yours in your kingdom."

"I will not allow you to speak to us this way!" Kagura fired.

"Oh, but I mean well. Very well. You see, if the contract isn't abided, I hold the right to retaliate in whichever way I choose - something I'm trying to help prevent. You'd be openly humiliating me, and what ruler in their right mind shrugs that off? Sesshomaru's clearly having a rough time digesting this minor offense, so how am I expected to take the even larger one you're putting before me? I'd practically be telling the entire world they could walk all over me without any sort of repercussion."

"No one but our two councils know of this!" Inuyasha objected. "The world would be ignorant!"

"My entire kingdom is aware of the alliance. Therefore, word is bound to spread fairly quickly." Onigumo observed the surprised faces around him. Standing from his seat, he smoothed out the front of his clothing. "I gave orders to my hand to make an announcement several days ago, so I'm assuming he's done his job. As for you two, you will do yours and wed next Sunday."

The air was punched from Inuyasha's lungs.

"We've decided to hold a ball to celebrate your engagement on Friday, officially announcing it here. Hope you're able to put your differences aside by then. That is all." He said, taking his leave and crossing the hall toward the door. "Come, Kikyo."

She stood there, her mind racing a mile a minute. How was she supposed to process this rationally? She really was nothing but a pawn. Her marrying Inuyasha gave her access to his riches. She was the pocket he wanted to reach into.

"Kikyo!"

Shakily, the princess turned, her brown eyes locking on Inuyasha's for a grieving moment before she followed her father out.

As the clank of the door shutting rang through, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru looked to each other. His older brother's expression was illegible, the only signal of his anger being the fire burning behind his ember eyes.

"What have you done?" The prince growled. Sesshomaru said nothing. "Still feel like you did the right thing?"

"In a turn of events, yes."

Kagura slumped into her throne, huffing out exasperatedly.

"Turn of events?" Inuyasha asked.

"You will continue as usual." He said plainly, stepping back to place a hand atop his wife's head in a feeble attempt at comfort. Inuyasha's staggered expression was evident in the way his lips parted and eyes widened, the muscles in his neck flinching. "If Onigumo wants a war, he'll get one."


	9. Chapter 9

Kagome stared evenly at the letter in her hand, the castle official trotting further down the road toward the next house on his decorated horse. _They're invitations._ The man had said. _To celebrate the union of two people and two kingdoms._ The thick paper of the envelope sat heavily in her fingers, making it feel like she was carrying a leather-bound book instead.

"Now I understand." Kaede spoke after opening her own, generic invite and reading it through. The old lady turned her head toward Kagome, watching as her assistant's chin gave a morose twitch. "You knew about this."

She nodded. That was all she could do. She'd dodged the topic for over a week, coming up with excuses about not feeling well or putting in an extra amount of effort to avoid speaking in general. If she thought about it, it would only be a matter of seconds before she broke. So she kept as busy as possible until the very last moment of each day.

"That's okay, child. We don't have to talk about it."

With a dragged inhale, Kagome feigned a smile, shaking her head as if it were that easy to push the problem aside, and turned to look at her mentor. "Thanks. I - uh - I think I left the axe in the clearing in the woods again. I'll be right back."

Kaede watched the girl walk off, the letter surprisingly still in hand.

•

Inuyasha stood in the large entry of the grand ballroom, watching the men and women hustle along to polish every inch of it. Decorating would soon follow, and he could only imagine the dreary ribbons and drapes that would embellish the place. He felt empty and powerless. He felt aggravated and restless. He wanted to scream at the entire staff to stop what they were doing as if preventing the decorating would prevent the entire goddamn thing, itself.

As each bit of the glossy floor sparkled in its freshly-cleaned glory, the ballroom only seemed to appear darker and darker. No longer did it look like an appropriate place to host every invited person in the country, but more a place hospitable to keep criminals locked up until their final days. The more he stood there and took the beginnings of the entire process in, the more unsettled his stomach sat in his abdomen. Was defeat this nauseating, or was this just the heartbreak he refused to acknowledge?

•

The pads of her fingers seemed to go numb against the textured envelope as she walked within the concealment of the trees, and she'd had to squeeze against it to make sure she hadn't dropped it somewhere along the way. As soon as she'd made it onto the path, her body was quick to flash hot. They'd broken up for a reason, she knew this was coming, but it still seemed so surreal to her. What she hadn't expected was a huge celebration, especially so soon. It was too soon. He never mentioned when his new fiancee would be coming or when the wedding would be held, so she'd hoped that some forgiving force of nature would give her a little time to digest it all. The day after he'd left her, she'd had to force herself to get out of bed. It was well into the afternoon, and after lying to Kaede by faking a minor head cold, she had to go into the shopping district to get some ingredients for soup. There were more people out and about than she'd seen lately, and it was only a matter of minutes before rumors reached her ear of a carriage surrounded by plenty of royal guards that had rolled through town just an hour or so before. She wasn't sure if there was a word to describe the sensation that knocked on the inside of her ribcage, but it tumbled down each bone unpleasantly and nearly caused her to visibly shudder in front of a vendor.

Kagome's overdress snagged on a dried branch of a bush, jerking her to a stop. She tried to pull it free but it wouldn't budge, and quickly the unsettling nerves in her chest began to expand and flare, bringing her to groan loudly in frustration because all she wanted was her moment of fraudulent peace in the damn clearing. Reluctantly, she stomped back toward the offending branch to kneel down and wrestle the threads free, feeling almost overwhelmed enough to curl up right then and there.

•

"What are you planning?" Inuyasha melancholically asked.

"Oh, do you suddenly want to talk to me now?" There was acrimony laced in Sesshomaru's tone.

Inuyasha's eyes drifted to the desk the king sat at, then the carpet. He was too desperate to hold onto his pride. He heard the steady inhale his brother took as he set his pen down with a click.

"My plan depends on yours."

"What?" Inuyasha met his even stare.

"You've been waiting on us to call it off or change our minds. I have yet to see you take matters into your own hands."

If he only knew.

"Since when do you sit around and sulk until given your way?"

"Sesshomaru, I don't -" He was almost tempted to give their entire ruse away just for the sake of his defense, but that would betray whatever loyalty he and Kikyo had created, so he stopped himself mid sentence. Sesshomaru cocked a single brow, almost as if his plain expression slighted in interest.

"I can't get you out of this, Inuyasha. So, what are you going to do to change your own fate?"

•

Kagome slid her finger within the wax-sealed fold of the envelope to open it, flinching away quickly as she felt the thick material slice through her skin. Great. The whole damn thing was out to get her. She watched as the thin cut just next to her nail produced a droplet of blood, mindlessly applying pressure to her finger with her thumb to get more to drip out.

Why would she even want to look at the invitation? To seal the deal even further than it already was? Would reading it through solidify the engagement and make it feel more real in her head, or was she just masochistic? Kagome dropped the envelope to her side, wiping her bleeding finger on the thigh of her chemise before hugging her legs closer and looking toward the sky. There was purple in the sunset. What once made her happy and filled her with hope now applied a weight to her stomach that sunk it far and low.

This wasn't her. Only once had she ever wished for clouds to cover the glowing hues she always favored, but sitting there in the clearing, torn and heavy, she regretted looking up. She didn't want to see it. She didn't want to be forced to pretend she was hopeful, she wanted to save the purple for a different day since they were so few and far between. She came to the clearing so she'd have a few moments where she wouldn't have to pretend; where she could take deep breaths in preparation to get her through the rest of the day after the invitation knocked her off course. What would help was a gloomy day that matched her mood. That way she could blame the clouds and the cold and the weather and whatever else that wasn't her ill-tempered heart.

•

Inuyasha was drained. He was exhausted. He didn't know what Sesshomaru was alluding to, and the man was never one to speak clearly when he wanted you to figure something out yourself. But he and Kikyo had both been trying to break the engagement. They'd both been putting in energy to fix the mess their families had created. What else could they possible do? He didn't want to think about anything anymore. Not today. It hurt too much.

•

Kagome took a deep breath, coming out of the forest and onto the field before the apothecary's shop. Her face was set, she felt more sturdy, and she had a few more chores to keep her distracted for a little while longer. There was a huff from inside the small stable to her right, hooves rustling back and forth, almost seeming restless. Kagome headed inside to settle Kaede's horse, petting along his neck. Immediately, she checked the floor to see if there was anything slithering that startled him, but with how quickly the steed calmed down with her affection, she figured he was just a little agitated.

"You too, huh?" She said, leaning her forehead against the bridge of his nose. "Things will get better, I promise. We've just gotta ride this out."

•

Inuyasha had been laying in bed for hours but sleep was far from attainable no matter how heavy his lids were. As much as he wished he could silence his mind, it raced too fast for him to catch up to. He stared at the ceiling, his hand resting on his bare stomach, feeling the unconscious flex of his abdomen as, once again, he thought of Kagome. It was painful. He never imagined the thought of her would be painful, but he missed her so goddamn much. What he wouldn't pay to have her sleeping in bed beside him right this very moment. He'd happily stay awake all night just to feel her body there, hear her steady breathing, take in her scent and hope his comforter absorbed it just as well so he could continue to smell her every night after that.

He pictured his future, and it was her. He didn't stand there alone, it wasn't Kikyo at his side, nor any other face he had yet to meet. It was her. How cruel. At this point, he wasn't sure if imagining the golden ring in her brown eyes when the light hit them perfectly, or the way her lips quirked crookedly when she was frustrated, the way her fingers were almost always cold, the way she put others before herself, the sound of her laugh, how she put his hands wherever she wanted them on her, the incredible trust she had in him from the start, her fearlessness, her compassion, or the gentle way she raked her fingers through his hair was a way for hope to build bolder in his chest or just pure torture.

Shifting his head, he glanced out the window. A part of him felt idiotic. Like, if he held onto the former he'd only end up crushed. In that same regard, how could he claim to deserve her if he cowardly let go? His fingers trailed up the ridges of his muscles, seeking out the golden heart that bunched with its chain and currently rested at the hollow of his throat. Even if everything worked out for the better, if he wasn't fighting with everything he had to get her back all the while he'd have no right to look her in the eye and ask her to be with him again.

––

Kikyo walked through the garden, the brisk morning air awakening her senses as she read the novel in her hands, occasionally glancing up to make sure she wouldn't walk into anything. They were two days away from the ball and she was growing antsier and antsier. She'd wake up every hour on the hour, and the anxiety of it all was progressively building so taut that she was afraid she would snap soon. This morning, to soothe her nerves before her father found her and dragged her to do god knows what in preparation of the wedding, she stopped trying for sleep and chose to walk the garden with a book. It had been hours already, and the entire castle seemed to be awake now.

She'd avoided the hedges to not risk turning herself around while mindlessly walking with a nose in a novel, sticking to the portion with fountains and roses. Heavy footsteps caught her attention, and Kikyo peaked over the edge of her story, noticing the prince storming passed the entrance. With just the quick flash of him, she could tell he was distraught. They hadn't spoken in a few days, and she was sure the quick-approaching wedding was messing him up just as badly as it was she. Still, she was curious to see where he could possibly be going with such fervor. As far as she knew, there was nothing in the direction he walked.

Kikyo poked her head out of the garden, scanning the area to make sure no one was around to see them. When she deemed them safe, she turned to watch Inuyasha walking toward the formidably-built wall that sealed the castle grounds, making a sharp turn at the back of a shed. Her curiosity was too invested now not to pry. He was heading down a narrow area between the wall and sheds, pausing at openings and then quietly trekking forward. He looked like he was about to do something sketchy, and if it was marriage related in the least - which was farfetched at best but not absolutely out of the question - she wanted to know.

"What are you doing?" She asked in a hushed tone, catching him just as he neared the corner. The prince froze, a clenched groan releasing from his throat as he reluctantly turned around.

"Nothing."

"This definitely doesn't look like nothing. What's going on? You seem upset."

"I _am_ upset!" Inuyasha whispered, though the rancor in his tone was still evident. "Nothing's working, they're decorating, I saw seamstresses showing up, and I just - I can't handle it all right now!"

None of that explained what he was up to. Kikyo guessed he wasn't about to reveal this great and well-thought-out scheme that worked to break the contract, though, and she swallowed the mild disappointment. "Okay, that's fine. I get it. So, you're just going to hide back here until you feel better?"

"No, I'm going for a walk."

She gave a quizzical look in response.

"Outside." Inuyasha hesitantly admitted. He watched the slight perturbation harden her features, lips parting slightly as she brought the closed book she held further into her chest, a finger wedged between the pages to hold her spot.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"I have to."

"Why?"

"I have to see her." He turned to grab onto a protruding brick as leverage, hitching a leg up to climb just as the princess snagged onto the loose sleeve of his Bastian shirt.

"Inuyasha, you're not thinking rationally. What are you going to get from this?" He didn't answer. His ember eyes were sullen and dull in shade, but his rough features didn't match the emotion behind his irises. He attempted to mask it all with frustration, but he wasn't as successfully guarded as his brother. The prince could pretend all he wanted, but he was deeper than anyone she'd ever met before. "I think I've been too prideful. I'm starting to get worried. You're right, nothing's working. We may end up losing this battle. And if that's the case, you're only going to make this so much worse for yourself by reopening that door."

"I don't care."

"But what about her?"

A sharp twinge thundered in his chest, and he gripped the brick so hard that the pads of his fingers scraped against it. "I'm going crazy, Kikyo. I can't think straight. I _need_ to see her."

"I don't think this is wise."

"I'm not going for wise, I'm going for sanity."

"You think a single visit with her is going to fix the madness you feel? If only life were so easy. I understand where you're coming from, please believe me, but with the progression of things happening here, this wouldn't be fair to either of you."

"Stop trying to talk me out of it!" The prince gritted.

"Inuyasha -"

"Look, I'll just be gone for thirty minutes. Tops. You can lecture me about how stupid I am then, okay? Let me go."

Her brow crinkled sympathetically, and she wanted to try to prevent him from leaving again but this wasn't her business. If he wanted to take the risk, found it so necessary just to think a little more clearly, who was she to force him to back down? If she knew of a way to get satiation from her own plaguing and terrifying situation, he wouldn't be able to talk her out of it either. Kikyo let go of his sleeve, taking a step back while nodding as understandingly as possible, and he didn't waste another second, scaling the wall and dropping over to the other side with a thud.

He ran through the woodlands, his heart beating rampantly as he knew he was getting closer and closer to her cottage and the general area of the forest he first met her in. He could only hope she was around these parts, because he wasn't sure what the hell he'd do if she was in town. His chest heaved as he slowed, listening for movement, inhaling to catch her scent.

It was like everything in him jolted to an abrupt stop, his breath catching in his lungs alarmingly, chills spiraling over every inch of his body as her sweet aroma wafted into his nose. She was close. Really close. When he first dropped everything to come see her, he thought he'd run straight up to her without pause to relinquish the cloud that loomed over him, yet here he stood, his boots weighted to the earth as a nauseating feeling rooted deep in his core to communicate just how horrible an idea this actually was. She didn't deserve this. She didn't need to relive those emotions he saw vividly on her face that night when no matter what was said and done here, he'd still have to head back to the arranged marriage he was trapped in afterward. The sudden voice of reason reverberating through his mind sounded an awful lot like Kikyo, and he silently cursed the princess for providing logic when he least wanted it.

Inuyasha heard her footsteps traveling closer, and it took everything he had to bite back the aggravated grunt and step behind the thick trunk of a tree. What was he thinking? What was he doing here? She was a mere number of feet away and the distance was receding, the sound of cracking leaves beneath her shoes heightening his torment as she rounded a small bend so agonizingly close to where he hid. The least he could do was peak over to see her. Every night, he'd asked himself if she was okay. He was left with the sight of that devastated expression, and he needed it out of his head.

The prince inched toward the side, the back of his shirt catching along the bark as he leaned to see Kagome. Her back was facing him, but she'd stopped along the unmarked path, her head swiveling to the side but not far enough for him to catch a glimpse of her beautiful face. He stepped out further, desperate to see her features, the plush of her lips, the curve of her nose, anything more than the back of her dress and her long, black hair, but he'd bent too far and there was a noticeable knock against the tree from the scabbard of the sword dangling at his hip.

Kagome swiftly turned around, brown eyes scouring the area. She'd thought she'd heard something, like a soft rustle, and was just about to dismiss it as a small animal before she heard a distinct clank that didn't seem to belong in a forest.

"Is someone there?" It was stupid, she knew, but her mind immediately pictured the prince appearing before her, his short, silver hair as tousled as usual while giving that typical grin he wore when he was happy to see her but didn't like to be too obvious. Her stomach flurried at the thought, pulling her forward with a false hope she'd subconsciously created on her own.

Inuyasha held his sword firmly, hating every inch of the damn, inherited thing at the moment. She spoke and his muscles flexed uncomfortably. She stepped toward him and he held his breath. He could hear her coming forward and as carefully as possible, he followed the curve around the tree, avoiding anything that could crackle or make noise so he wouldn't give himself away again.

As senseless and unreasonable as it was, it didn't stop the disappointment from swelling thickly in her abdomen. The area she'd thought she'd heard the noise from was empty; not even a chipmunk sped away to tip her off. There was nothing. No one. What would he even be doing out here? It was just her imagination running wild again. Her torturous, unfair, hyperactive mind. Sighing unsteadily, Kagome turned around and headed back toward the route she was on.

He took the opportunity to look at her then. Her pace was hastened, strands of dark hair billowing behind her shoulders. As she made a small turn and he finally saw the side of her face, the warm hue of her cheek, the pink tint of her lips as she worried the bottom, Inuyasha felt a powerful sensation overwhelm his system. All at once, he was absolutely overcome with fury and passion. This wasn't how things were going to work out for him. He refused to pine for her explicitly in the shadows, wondering what his life would be like had this entire mess not occurred. It hardly even seemed like the arrangement benefitted their people, the only person winning being Onigumo. No. He was done with this game.

_Since when do you sit around and sulk until given your way?_

_So, what are you going to do to change your own fate?_

He was a valiant prince, he was undoubtedly the product of his father, and he'd be damned if he'd be seen as anything otherwise. Inuyasha could guarantee that there was no way in hell he was backing down from this fight.

After making sure the coast was clear, he hopped back into castle grounds, avoiding all attention as he made his way into the main household. The place was bustling and lively, everyone working to get the place ready for the event, and he nodded plainly to smiling caretakers as he bounded up the stairs two at a time.

"Where the hell have you been?" Miroku asked, running up by his side and keeping stride.

"Out."

"Nice. Figured. Where?"

"Miroku."

"Hey, look, I get it. You don't like what's going on, but stop taking it out on me. I'm on your side, remember?"

"Where's Sango?"

"In your study making it look like you've been working."

"Great, go join her."

"No."

"Mirok-"

"No." The aide grasped the prince's arm, pulling him into a nearby room for privacy and shutting the door. "We've been as patient as possible with you, but how long are we expected to keep this up? You're not acting yourself, Inuyasha!"

"Oh, god!" He groaned. "Look, I don't have time to hear how shitty I am right now."

"Why the hell not? What exactly were you heading to do? Because last I knew you've been avoiding your schedule, avoiding Kikyo, avoiding work, avoiding us -"

"I was heading to try and _fix this!_" Inuyasha hissed, shutting the knight up. "And that's all I'll tell you! I can't go into detail, and until it's handled, I need you to stay out of my way! Go with Sango!"

Miroku bravely neglected the order, giving a faint shake of his head. "I can't do that."

"I'm serious, Miroku."

"I'm perfectly aware, but so am I. You've said just enough to peak my interest. What's going on?"

"I can't go into detail!"

"Can't or wont?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes! Are you under specific orders not to, or are you -"

"Fine! Wont!"

"Why not?"

"Stop!"

"Tell me, Inuyasha! I'm your right-hand man! If there's anyone that should know what you're up to, it's me! Now what are we fixing and how?"

"No, I don't want you getting involved in this!"

"Oh, don't be so noble." Miroku rolled his eyes, lolling his head to the side. "If you're about to fuck some shit up, I want in."

Inuyasha flinched in surprise, registering his aide's determination.

"I may work for the crown, but my loyalty lies with you. Sango would say the same."

"You don't understand. This could potentially be borderline treason."

Miroku shrugged a single shoulder.

"Tell me now, are you sure?"

"Absolutely." The knight said without hesitation.

Inuyasha was still apprehensive about bringing his friends into this. If anything happened to bring him down, he'd always planned for Miroku and Sango to stay oblivious so they weren't at risk. The steadfast look in Miroku's indigo eyes was piercing him now, and there was no way he'd be allowed to leave the room without giving him something to go off. Logically thinking, the more numbers he had to help him see this through, the higher his chances of success. Miroku was now aware that something was up, so they may as well all raise hell.

"I don't have a definite plan yet, but hopefully by tonight I will. I'll discuss it then with you. Meet me in my office around eight-thirty."

"Yes, sir."

The prince brushed passed his aide, leaving the room and heading straight back on path, following his nose and marching toward the back staircase to the third level. Chances were, Kikyo was in the middle of something wedding-related. It would be impossible to meet in private right now to hash ideas out with how crazy everything was around the place, but he needed to at least let her know so she could try to sneak away at some point.

He followed his nose, coming up on a room where he could hear seamstresses complimenting her figure and discussing colors, multiple operatic voices ringing at once. How the hell was he supposed to get her attention without anyone else noticing? It wasn't so busy on this floor, at least, but that didn't mean he was clear to stop.

The door to the room they occupied was closed, and the brash part of him highly considered banging on it, throwing it open, and angrily demanding a moment with the princess as if he was ordered to spend time with her by the king. There had to be something a little more inconspicuous to attempt before escalating it that far, though. Before he could fully think of another idea, he caught the scuffle of footsteps approaching around the far corner. Swiftly, Inuyasha threw himself into the adjacent room, grateful that it was empty given he hadn't checked to see if he could hear anyone in here beforehand.

The prince took in his new surroundings. He was in a bedroom. A claimed bedroom. Kikyo's scent overtook the place, and he grimaced at the thought of how inappropriate it was for him to even be here. If anyone found him, the indecent rumors that would follow would probably kill him more gruesomely than a sword ever could. And he'd much rather go out by blade any day.

Boisterous laughter flooded through the walls, and Inuyasha turned toward the one the rooms shared, noticing a door that fortuitously adjoined them. He snuck over, carefully twisting the knob so the springs wouldn't be heard, opening the door a mere inch and a half and peaking through to the next room. He couldn't see anything from the angle, but the ladies' voices boomed through vividly, almost hurting his ears. Another inch, and he caught the sight of a larger lady. She held up some sheer, dark purple fabric, shifting the subject to the waistline she used to have back in the day. Another inch, and he glimpsed about half of Kikyo standing on a small stool in a short, white dress. She was facing him, though she hadn't noticed the parted door, her brown eyes - or eye, given what he could actually see - glazed over in annoyance. He poked his head out slightly, almost snapping his fingers to catch her attention but stopped himself before he risked catching the other women's, as well. He waved his hand once, twice, more aggressively the third time, and when she finally perked in bewilderment, he quickly put a finger to his lips to keep her quiet and then gestured for her to come over before shutting the door and tucking himself back into the quiet of her room.

"Excuse me, ladies." He heard Kikyo say through the wall. "I need to use the restroom real quickly."

"Oh, of _course_, Your Highness." One of them enthusiastically spoke, her tone high and dramatic. "We'll make sure to save all of our good stories for when you get back."

The princess feigned a laugh so obvious even Inuyasha snorted. "Can't wait."

She pushed through the door, shutting it quickly and leaning against it. It took only half a second for the prince to gather just how see-through the chemise she was wearing was, jerking his head to the side with a grimace. "Jesus!"

"What!? It's a fitting, Inuyasha, of course I'm not going to be dressed!" She hissed vehemently, smacking his arm with the back of her hand before hiding her chest behind folded arms. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"We need to talk." He said uncomfortably through clenched teeth, eyes trailing over the walls and ceiling.

_"Now!?"_

"Obviously not. Preferably when you're not in your underwear. When do you think you can get away?"

She took a moment to think, hunching her back uneasily to further hide herself. "Um - I'm stuck here for however long they need me. They're literally putting the majority of my ballgown together today. Hopefully, it should only take a few hours or so, but we just started like fifteen minutes after you left. How did that go, by the way?"

"It didn't -" He interrupted himself with a huffed groan, trying not to stammer as he stayed on subject. "We'll talk about it later. Try to be free around five and meet me in the closed-off library around the corner. No one's ever really around that area, so you should be fine. There's a room inside off to the left. I'll be in there."

She nodded promptly, waiting as he carefully snuck out through the main entrance of her room before mentally bracing herself for the seamstress' conversations to continue.

––

To Kikyo's surprise, Inuyasha was right. There was no one around to be seen as she cautiously sauntered up to the closed door. In fact, the lack of people threw her off so much that she'd passed up the library twice while looking for it, thinking she was in a restricted zone of the castle.

The hinges creaked loudly as she pushed through, only opening the door wide enough for her slender body to slip in before closing it as it was. The room was smaller than the library they'd spent days in, dimly lit in yellow and surrounded by shadows. The air was stale and almost musky, not a book out of place from where she could see. The entire area gave her the creeps, so she pushed herself to search the wall to her left for the room she was told to find. Kikyo stepped further, worried she'd ventured into the wrong library for a moment, traveling down the furthest aisle and sighing out when she finally found a door. Inuyasha was staring out at the land from his seat in the alcove inside, ember eyes meeting her as she entered the small room.

"You couldn't have picked a more ominous place?"

"Would you have preferred a place we could have been walked in on?"

"Well, no. But I don't mind meeting in non-haunted areas, either."

"It's not haunted." Inuyasha chuckled, shifting his legs off the cushion to sit forward. "It's my father's collection, so no one disturbs it. That's all."

"Good lord, is his casket out there too?"

"Actually, yes. They've mummified him and his body's in the third row. Want to see?"

"Absolutely not!"

"I'm kidding, you sissy! I didn't expect this side of you; your getup is like gothic central." He laughed, standing from his spot to offer her the only seat.

She dismissed the jab with a scoff, taking the alcove cushion and smoothing down the front of her dress. "So, what happened?"

"What do you mean?" He knew what she meant, but there was a huge part of him that hoped she was actually alluding to the urgency behind meeting up today.

"With her. I don't remember her name."

"Nothing. I - that's not what I wanted to talk about." The prince shook his head.

"Come on. Tell me. I've been dying to know since the moment you left."

"Literally nothing." He conceded with a begrudging shrug. "You were right, it wouldn't have been fair to her."

"Oh, so you didn't even see her?" The princess asked, sort of taken aback by the idea of Inuyasha defying rules just to casually turn around thirty seconds later.

"No, I saw her. She didn't see me. I didn't let her. I - I froze." Inuyasha leaned his shoulder against the nearest wall, avoiding Kikyo's curious stare. "It's fine. I mean, I hadn't even planned out what I'd wanted to say to her, I just felt this driving need to see that she was okay."

"Was she? Did she look okay to you?"

"I couldn't tell, I only caught a small look at her." He answered stiffly, refusing to go too deep into detail of everything that little glimpse did for him. That was _his_ motivation. That was _his_ fire. "But listen, if we're going to get out of this we need to act. We're running out of time."

Kikyo's brown eyes fluttered down, her mouth opening as she gave a small huff and shook her head, almost defeatedly. "Inuyasha, I already told you that there's a chance we aren't going to win this. As far as they know, we haven't spoken in days and they're perfectly fine with it! I broke a table for heaven's sake! What else are we supposed to do?"

Inuyasha tensed. He knew she was feeling at a loss from this morning, but up until then she'd been the queen of confidence. Quite frankly, it was disturbing to see her losing her spark. It seemed like Sesshomaru wanted them to break the clause just as much as they wanted it, as well. He couldn't help, he admitted that. It was up to them, and he fully believed that now that the king felt insulted, he wouldn't do a single thing to stand in their way. Sesshomaru was petty like that, which worked in their favor.

"Between you and I?" He asked steadily, ember eyes meeting her dark irises. Kikyo looked at him inquisitively, her brows furrowing minutely.

"Of course." She agreed, her tone soft.

"Sesshomaru's not happy with your father's deceit, and he's planning to get him back. It'll be even harder for him to do so unless we break the engagement."

The princess sat up straight, lurching forward slightly as her expression twisted in surprise. "He's not going to retaliate in a war, is he?"

"No." Inuyasha shook his head. "No, if he wanted that, he'd just rip the damned contract up in Onigumo's face. I honestly don't know what he's hoping to do, but I think it'll be more like pinning him the same way your father's pinned us. Which means, we've got one less obstacle standing in our way."

"You say that like it's supposed to be easier now or something." She slouched back a bit, temperamentally. "My dad is thirty times more manipulative than I am. So much so, that I'm ashamed my mind works remotely in the same way."

"Kikyo," Inuyasha stepped forward, the air of him undaunted as he kneeled in front of her to look at her evenly. "Do you still want to be royalty?"

She leaned away, somewhat uncomfortable with their close proximity and the unwavering determination in his eye. "No." She had to control her tone so the statement didn't sound like a question.

"Did you still plan to denounce yourself?"

"What are you getting at?"

"Do it at the ball."

Kikyo's shoulders slackened, brows raising astonishingly.

––

Kagome quickly ran across the small field dividing her home from Kaede's, ignoring the _closed_ sign and throwing the door open then shut as she ran through to the apothecary's bedroom in the back. The door was open, and she grasped the doorframe when she stopped, poking her head through to see the elderly woman smoothing the top half of her grey hair back into a clip. She noticed Kagome in her aged mirror, turning to look at her as thin strands fell loose from her fingers.

"Help me." She pleaded, almost panicked.

"With what, child? Did a snake get into your house again?" Kaede asked half sarcastically due to her assistant's unnerved demeanor, dropping her hair.

"If there's ever a raging fire next door, you'll know the answer to that! Come on!" Kagome bounced on the balls of her feet. "I can't figure out what to wear! This is an emergency!"

The herbalist followed her out, unable to swallow her disbelief. "You mean you're going? You didn't seem so clear when I asked yesterday."

"Seems sort of mandatory to me."

"Kagome."

She slowed just outside her door, trying to ignore the weight on her chest that increased with the passing minutes. "It would be wrong if I didn't go."

"Yet perfectly understandable."

"But he's doing this for the country. For his people. It had nothing to do with me. At least, that's what I'm choosing to believe." Her eyes inadvertently drifted to the floor. "I know my status and all the _glory_ that comes with it, but I also know that didn't matter to him. There are - there are bigger things than me, anyway! I should be supportive!" Kagome feigned perkiness, dismissing it all with a wave.

Kaede studied her for a moment. The girl had a huge heart and never liked to make her burdens anyone else's, but she could still see how hard it was for her to cover the pain of it all. Kagome was going to have to see the man she loved next to another woman. That was no easy feat for the boldest of characters. Having had a relationship with the royal family for years now, she could only imagine the prince's dismay if the roles were reversed. Nonetheless, if Kagome felt like she was up for the night ahead of her, she'd stand by the girl through and through.

"Alright, show me our options!" The old woman smiled, entering her assistant's cottage ahead of her. Kagome sighed nervously, crossing the room quickly to the two dresses that rested along her bed.

"So, I don't actually have any gowns of my own; these are ones I took from my mother when I moved out here, and I can't even tell you the last time _she_ wore them." Kagome fiddled her fingers before reaching for one of the dresses, holding it before her body. "This one says I like maroon. That's it. That's all it says."

"Nonsense," Kaede approached, examining the looped design stitched around the bateau neckline, and gliding her fingers down to bring the cuffs of the long, slender sleeves up to see the similar pattern. Along each forearm, a black string laced up, starting at the inner corner of the wrist and expanding to twist all the way up to the middle of the upper arm which she imagined would hug in a very simple yet beautiful manner once she actually filled it in. At the bottom of the gown, the same design outlined the edging, bringing the plain and solid dress to look elegant. "This detail is gorgeous. Did your mother make this?"

"No, I think this is my grandma's work. It bodes well that you like it because -" Kagome laid the dress back on her blanket, switching out for the light pink one next to it. Unlike the first dress that had a natural waistline and fell and dragged with its own length, the one she now held had a few ruffles to spare. _"This one_ says my mother went through a bedazzling stage."

The apothecary grimaced, her entire face contorting as she extended out one of the bell sleeves. It wouldn't have been so bad if the bodice wasn't decorated in gaudy, cheap jewels of different shapes and colors. "Oh, dear no. The color can't even save this dress."

"Maroon it is." She sighed raggedly, dropping the gown back where it once was, not even minding the crumpled heap she set it in.

"You're anxious." Kaede pointed.

"Me? No." Kagome shook her head, loosening the front ties of the dress she currently wore to slacken its hold around her waist. She knew she had very obvious isms that gave her feelings away; fidgeting hands, avoided eye contact, a higher notch in her voice. The only way to hide them was to keep herself busy. If she stood still, it was like everything that was going through her mind was plastered on a poster board for everyone to see.

Kaede turned the maroon gown over to make sure the lace that scaled the back would be loose enough for the girl to slip into, not needing to do anything when she realized it wasn't made to be tightened. "It's okay, you know? I think I'd be more worried if you weren't."

"He wont notice me, will he?" She asked, stripping her clothes over her head. There was a battle raging in her mind, one of the many reasons for her distress, showing her how scared she was of the entire ordeal but also turning around to tell her how self-absorbed she'd be to think that he'd notice her in the sea of people that will be there to support this arrangement. "No, of course he wont."

"Kagome, you're in your own head. Relax. It's going to be fine."

"No, you're right. I know. You're right."

The elderly woman bunched the ends of the skirt up a bit, holding the gown in a way that would be easier for the girl to put on. She fit into it rather easily, the dress falling beautifully along her body and to the floor, hugging her waist innately. "Just stick by me the whole night. If you're ever uncomfortable, we can leave."

"Oh, I wouldn't bother you with that."

"Please, child, I've got old bones. My ankles are swelling just thinking about the shoes I'm about to wear. I would not be disappointed in the least if you wanted to head home." Kaede laughed, successfully bringing a chuckle from Kagome. She observed as the girl adjusted her sleeves, the cuff of them falling to cover the majority of her hands and only leaving her fingers exposed. In an effort to help, she pulled the neckline up, noticing it was a bit loose in the chest and it wasn't hooking around her shoulders as snug as it should have.

"Uh - yeah, mama is a bit more well-endowed than I am." Kagome said, grinning sardonically while she took over to struggle with the way it landed on her. Finally, with a minor shift of the dress around her breasts, she managed to get the bateau to hold at the very edges of her shoulders. Only minor adjustments needed to be done to the lacing around her arms, and she smoothed her palm over some of the wrinkles that had long set into the fabric.

"You look beautiful." Kaede smiled, gently guiding her to sit on her bed. She ran her fingers through Kagome's hair, pulling it to the front. "I say we leave your hair down. What do you think?"

"It's not too messy?" She grimaced.

"It's not messy at all. You've got a little volume, and it looks good on you, lass." Kaede replied, scrunching up the thick waves further to allow them to fall as they pleased.

"Kaede -" Kagome scoffed.

"Hush. Now, to top it off, do you have a necklace you can wear?"

A tingle fluttered through her stomach as she thought of the golden heart hanging loosely from the chain around the prince's fingers, a mild smile curving her lips. She shook her head. "No, I - I think I misplaced the one I had."

"Just as well. You don't need it. I think you're ready, but if there's anything else you'd like to add, you have time. I'll just go finish up myself and we'll head off." The old woman headed out the door, shutting it behind her.

Kagome walked over to the small, worn mirror on her dresser, trying to get a good look at herself. She was unbelievably nervous, her fingers beginning to tremble, and she worried about her face going pale with her sickening nerves. With more pressure than normal, she pinched the sides of her cheeks to add some pink to her skin, hoping the flush would last all night. It wouldn't, but it was nice to pretend. To go along with it, she pressed her lips together, sucking and nibbling a little to ripen the color of them too. _That,_ she knew she could keep up for as long as necessary; it happened to be something she did when she was awkward.

After slipping on her boots, she left to wait for Kaede next to the road, grateful the length of her dress hid her feet. She wouldn't necessarily say they clashed, and she knew she could easily get away with them if they were seen, but boots would never be described as elegant and she didn't need anything else to disturb the edge she stood on. The two of them walked toward the castle in near silence, the weight on her chest progressively getting heavier and heavier the closer they got. The sun was mostly set, the lights shining through the windows of the tall towers glistening, and her lungs clenched to make her exhale shakily.

They followed the mass of people, dressed to the nines to appear as wealthy as possible, through the front gates, all of them greeted by guards on duty. The designated path was illuminated by torches on posts, all aligned perfectly straight in two rows to guide them all toward the steps to enter the castle. To the left, large double doors were open, symphonic music playing to attract their direction to shift, a huge and spacious room welcoming them in to dance and roam and mingle with every invited person.

"You doing okay, dear?" Kaede politely checked in, her attention not too obvious as she lightly patted Kagome's forearm. She'd been playing with her sleeves to keep her fingers busy, trying to distract herself enough to dwindle the pressing against her lungs.

"I'm okay." She nodded, following the apothecary toward a couple that had hailed her over. Her brown eyes drifted over the crowd of people as the other three fell into small talk, slowly gliding over the wading waters of heads, and gowns, and tuxedos, searching, seeking, sinking, rising, then finding.

Inuyasha stood facing Miroku next to the thrones on a makeshift stage at the very far end of the ballroom, his heart giving a thunderous beat against his ribcage as the familiar and wonderful scent met him. His core clenched incredibly tight, unable to help his instincts as ember eyes scoured the crowd to find her, almost homing in immediately when her own landed on his gaze. What sort of torture was this to have a distance he couldn't cross to meet her? And yet, through the dense clouds of his longing, he watched her smile warmly at him and it was like the light of the moon began to shine through.

His brother's voice tore him back to his remorseful reality, making him shift his attention away and filling his chest with the brutal ache of incompletion. "What?"

"Where is Kikyo?" The king asked, his tone low to not tip off Onigumo whom was speaking with a guard of his own several feet away.

"I don't know." Inuyasha responded, the answer genuine.

"Go find her. She should be with you." Sometimes it was hard to tell if Sesshomaru was actually on his side with the way he still tried to push them together. He may not know their plan for her to step down tonight, but for someone who wanted them to succeed so he could, in turn, make a move on the king opposite him, he never seemed to show a similar agenda. Still, Kikyo should have been with them all by now, he was right, but it was like his feet were too heavy to carry him out of the room just yet. "What is it?"

"I didn't know she'd be here tonight." The prince admitted in a whisper.

Sesshomaru hardly reacted, knowing full and well who his brother was talking about. "Ah, yes. Consider it incentive." He said as Inuyasha and his aide finally walked away.

At just the mere collision of their sights, she felt a heat spread through her body, like she was being served an ill-suited reminder of the sensations he's always provided her with. Even when she knew she wasn't allowed to love him anymore, her entire being rebelled against the plot and caused an erratic drumming within the cavity of her chest. She loved him. She loved him. And for that, she smiled. Because who could say they were lucky enough to experience the depth of emotion that currently swelled in her heart? And as the king came to speak to the prince, she still couldn't bring herself to look away, the dance of golden iron molded around Inuyasha's head becoming more evident as he turned. It was a simple design, metal waving in a thin line until the swirls became more elaborate at the temple and the front, easily hidden by his silver hair. A part of her felt bitter for his brother's role in separating them, but she swallowed the salt and told herself to forgive him. His intentions were bigger than her. This entire thing was bigger than her, and she'd humbly tell herself that until the day she was able to move on. Inuyasha left and Sesshomaru almost immediately found her stare, slanted eyes falling over her. The magnificent crown atop his head shined beneath the twinkling lights of the ballroom, creating an ethereal glow from the gold and jewels. It was impossible not to be intimidated. The uniform he donned was similar to his younger brother's - black and lined with golden accents, but his chest was decorated in metals galore. Two braided ropes looped over his shoulder - whereas Inuyasha had one - and a purple sash that the prince didn't share embellished across his chest, all of which was completed with a matching, black and gold belt. With a face as smooth and straight as stone, the king nodded at her, turning away to go about his business.

"Incentive." Inuyasha grumbled, marching through the halls of the empty floor. "What the hell do you think he meant by incentive?"

"Hell if I know. I mean, you both pretty much want the same thing now, so I think it's fair to say he's had a change of heart." Miroku said, stalking along at the prince's side while fighting to keep his eyes off his partner. Sango had joined them just outside the back ballroom doors, walking up in a dress she couldn't stop fiddling with - clearly uncomfortable and impossible to ignore. In Miroku's opinion, the gown was a godsend. It squeezed her torso perfectly, accentuating her breasts in a way their uniforms never could. Even when she went around without the coat of it, the black shirt she usually donned still never did her justice.

"Change of _mind."_ Inuyasha corrected. "The guy doesn't have a heart."

"Alright, maybe he changed his mind. It may be possible that he's not going to stand in your way when it comes to Kagome anymore."

"I want to believe that, but it might be too good to be true. He only changed his mind because Kagura ripped him a new one and Onigumo took advantage of him. He hasn't done anything for me." They turned a corner, quickly approaching Kikyo's room.

"Who cares?" Sango shot. "The facts stand. He wants out, you'll get out, and Kagome is here. Why don't you stop overthinking everything and just roll with it? I can guarantee that from this point on, you'll mostly be improvising anyway."

He huffed, annoyed that she was right, but before he could retort, he noticed that Kikyo's scent didn't end at her door. It extended down the opposite half of the hall, attracting Inuyasha to follow it through, guiding them toward the back stairs instead of the front that everyone usually took. All the way down and out the rear of the castle, Inuyasha's pace hurried, his concern building. Where the hell had she gone at a time like this? Her scent carried them toward the stable house, and he jogged the rest of the way, giving a curt order to his knights to keep watch outside.

Quietly, he slid through the entrance, ember eyes instantly landing on the distracted princess clumsily attempting to climb aboard a horse. She was dressed in her ballgown, dark purple beginning boldly at the highest point and fading to lilac with a gradient effect by the bottom, the full and thick skirt making it an evident struggle for her to even shove her foot through the stirrup of the saddle.

Inuyasha cleared his throat. "What are you doing?"

Kikyo whipped around unsuspectingly, the small tiara on her head falling loose, her hands barely catching it in time to keep it in place. The bodice was tight on her, the neckline shaped like a heart and accentuating the swell of her breasts as her chest heaved up and down from her efforts. Thin straps held over her shoulders while the sleeves hung off the sides of her arms, the fabric of them sheer. Light pink flowers stitched the bottom of the bodice, white specks resembling baby's breath scattering the surrounding area and vanishing as they spread further down the skirt. The length trained behind her, the top, light purple fabric transparent while paler colors layered beneath to give the gradual effect, the translucency shifting to satin the closer it all got to her legs.

"I'm - uh - I'm leaving." She sputtered, tossing the strands of long, black hair that curved over her shoulder to the back.

"What!?"

Frantically, the princess shushed him, dark eyes highlighted in eyeshadow glancing toward the door then back at him.

"What do you mean you're leaving!?" He questioned, lowering his tone while the edge kept its incredulity.

"Just what it sounds like! Think about it, I'm going to have to leave anyway. May as well get a jumpstart."

"Think you can spare five fucking minutes to do the job first?"

"No, Inuyasha listen." She glanced at the door again, paranoid that someone would come in and interrupt. "I was up all night thinking this through, and I don't think denouncing myself will matter to my father. He said he wanted a marriage to his daughter to be the ties of the alliance, word-for-word. Princess or not, I'm still his daughter. The only way to beat that loophole is to take me out of the equation entirely."

"So, you're just going to run!?" The prince couldn't help how worried he increasingly felt. As far as he knew, she had no experience on the streets alone. This was going to be the biggest culture shock she'd ever experienced, and she'd be lucky if the only thing it did was knock her on her ass.

"Until my face is unrecognizable and my name means nothing." Kikyo said with a confident grin.

This was what she'd wanted for years. He could see the light in her eyes burning with a thousand fires, ferocity shining through vividly. She was terrified and excited all at once. He felt his own spirit calming, a passion stepping forward to help her see this out.

"Do you support me, prince? I'm going to be setting us both free."

"I couldn't stop you even if I tried." He chuckled. Kikyo turned to attempt and mount the horse again, kicking multiple times to free a foot from the heavy supply of her gown. "Okay, wait. That's not going to work. There's no way you can ride like that."

"I've seen it done before." She grunted.

"Not only are you going to break your neck trying, but you're going to be a dead giveaway. You need to lay low. Take off the dress."

"Pardon?"

"Seriously. It's not worth the effort, and your guards will easily track your scent." Inuyasha stepped back, giving two heavy knocks to the sliding door. Miroku opened it far enough to poke his head in and Inuyasha flicked his hand to order them both inside.

"What's up?" The knight asked, shutting the door.

"We need to get Kikyo something more suitable for horse riding; preferably clothes that don't belong to her. She's leaving."

"Oh, thank god." Sango sighed, stepping forward and turning her back to her partner. "Unlace me."

Miroku looked unsurely towards the prince, his shoulders stiffening before hesitantly reaching to untie the knot at the back of her hips.

"You can have my dress, Your Highness." The knight offered. The material of her gown was much thinner and more flexible. Otherwise, Sango would have never have agreed to wear it in the first place.

"And what will you wear?" Kikyo asked, not wasting a second by reaching back and loosening her own bodice. "It might be too obvious if we switch."

As soon as the reins holding the dress against her were loose enough for her to slip through, Sango peeled herself out of it, revealing the thin chemise blouse and tight-fitted pants she donned beneath. "Don't worry." She smiled, hanging the dress over the side of a stable wall as she crossed the area to help the princess out of her clothes.

"Do you always wear full attire under your dresses?" Kikyo inquired peculiarly, taking full breaths as the bodice lessened its grasp on her.

"Believe me, when you work for Inuyasha you learn to always be prepared."

"So, that's a yes." Miroku nodded, hastily following Inuyasha's lead and turning toward the wall as she got further indecent. He lowered his voice as he spoke directly to the prince, letting the girls get situated in private. "What, exactly, is the plan here?"

"She's running. There's nothing more to it."

"How does she expect to get out? Guards are stationed everywhere with _especially _high security on all gates."

"Shit!" Inuyasha hissed. How had he not thought of that? There was no way she'd have a fair chance of escape with knights galore quickly on her trail. If they witnessed her running, they'd chase after her without a moment's notice. They needed to free the nearest exit. They needed to get her a head start before her kingdom raced to bring her back. He racked his brain, his mind continuously flinging back to the dozen torches illuminating the front path. Fire. "Miroku, the garden is closed off, right?"

"Last I saw."

"Set it on fire." Inuyasha said, making sure he was loud enough for the girls to hear too.

"I'm sorry, what?" The aide blinked, inching his ear closer to the prince in question.

"Set it on fire. The guards will run to check it out and the ones staying behind to stand post will be too distracted to see Kikyo coming. Sango, I want you to get her to the border as safely as possible; with her in your dress, your scent will be dragging anyway. After she gets you to the border, Kikyo -"

"I'm on my own. Got it." She nodded, adjusting the long sleeves of her new dress over her arms.

"With all do respect, sir, I'd feel most comfortable accompanying Sango. If they're slowed down or caught, she's standing alone against a handful of Naraku's guard's, if not more. She's my partner."

"Miroku, I'll be fine."

"No, I understand." Inuyasha agreed, furrowing his brows as he heard his aide out while kindly holding a hand up to silence Sango. "Get the spark going so enough smoke will attract the noses, then get your ass back here. I'll prepare your horse."

"Ah, arson. There's no sweeter way to go down." The knight smiled blissfully, slipping out the door where Inuyasha heard his boots quickly lead away.

"One more thing, Kikyo."

The princess glanced over at him after throwing her dress over the side of the stable, the weight of the skirt pulling it to almost fall but the splinters of the wood snagged and held it up.

"My horse is faster." He said, gesturing to his mare at the far end of the stables with the flick of his head. She smiled, the brightest he'd ever seen from her, and he led her down the stalls. She was a calm horse, only slighting away a little as he opened the door to her nook. Immediately, he grabbed the saddle and began to dress her, securing it in place while Kikyo became acquainted with the animal. "Give her a name. She's yours now."

"She doesn't have one?"

"Nah, I've never really called her anything."

"Your sword has a name but your horse doesn't?" She giggled, pointing to the weapon secured to his hip.

"My father named the damn thing, not me." He laughed, backing away once he was done. "Come on, let me help you up."

"No. _Tell_ me how, I need to learn for myself." She objected. He conceded, giving her the reins to guide the horse out of the stable.

"Sango, show her. I'll get Miroku's horse going."

The knight responded quickly, her steed dressed and ready to go when she swapped places with the prince. Her directions were given politely but straightforward, instructing the princess on how to hold the reins as soon as her leg was thrown over the saddle. Inuyasha peeked over the animal's back as he set it up, watching the princess wobble slightly, clearly never having ridden a horse alone before. She was in for quite the ride tonight, and he wished he could see her complain of how sore her ass would be in the morning.

The prince froze, catching the feint whiff of smoke in the distance, adrenaline kicking into high gear. He alerted Sango with a gruff voice and she wasted no time to back step and hop on her horse, steadying the animal with a pull on its reins.

"Wait, what happens now?" Kikyo questioned, her nerves vibrant in her tone. Her mare picked up her anxiety, dancing forward and back and she tried to mimic Sango's assertion by pulling on the rein in her hand, not quite sure how much force was or wasn't enough.

"Calm down, you're gonna be fine." The prince approached, petting down her horse's neck to calm it. "You need to be smart about everything you do from this point on, understand? You're not royalty anymore, and you'll have to lay low for a long time. You're leaving here with next to nothing, so you'll need to learn a trade of some sort as soon as you feel you're in a place you want to settle down. You'll need money, you'll need shelter, you'll need food and water, and you need to protect yourself however you can. Do not let your guard down. The world is unforgiving, especially to wandering women."

"I'll sell my necklace as soon as I can find a vendor." She stated, her fingers grasping the silver adorned in jewels around her neck. "And I'll figure everything else out from there."

"She'll get my knife before I leave her at the border." Sango assured.

"Good. Get a cloak and keep your head down. Hopefully, you'll never have to use that knife, but it's better to have it just in case. You're intelligent, remember? You can handle this."

Kikyo gave a wane smile in response, trying as hard as she could to fight off the sudden doubt she had in herself.

"Your tiara." Inuyasha held his hand out, and with an air of apprehension, Kikyo pulled the crown free from her hair. She gave it a grateful smile, breathing out and passing it to the prince. Despite how small the tiara was, it seemed she sat up straighter, a weight finally lifting from her shoulders.

"When I open the door, I want you to head straight to the gate on our left as fast as possible. You know which one I'm talking about, right?" Kikyo nodded. "Give her a kick and she'll race off. Sango will be right behind you."

She was unbelievably anxious, her fingers unsteady as she skimmed them over the horses groomed hair. She could do this. She was seconds away from the pursuit she'd yearned for, moments away from freedom, and soon she'd be miles away from this lost life. There was uncertainty riddling her mind and she could have backed down, but that wasn't the nature she was willing to be known for. This was it. The moment of truth.

"Inuyasha," Kikyo smiled, her voice betraying her attempt to feign conviction. The prince looked at her from his spot at the door, a fist gripped around the handle to open it at any given moment. "Thank you."

He grinned, wanting to return the gratitude as it was _her_ that was brave enough to set _him_ free, but the timing was clear. The sound of guards flooding toward the garden in the distance stampeded passed and as they faded farther, Inuyasha yanked the large, sliding door out of the way, watching as the former princess ran through the opening and away from the crown. Sango followed closely, the galloping from the steeds growing further, and his heart pounded ruthlessly, staying put while his other knight came jogging in to board his horse and follow them out.

"Hey, Kagome." A deep and familiar voice caught her attention as she stood alone, adjusting the shoulders of her dress as nonchalantly as possible and watching the couples move in the center of the room. Kaede had somehow been swindled into dancing, and every now and again she'd look over to Kagome with a wary stare, sometimes grimacing or mouthing in pain if her foot was stepped on by the old man with his arms around her. She glanced to her side, smiling at the knight.

"Hi."

"Would you like to dance?"

"Oh, please don't make me. I'm not graceful in the least and this is the last place I'd want to be seen stumbling everywhere."

"Don't worry, I wouldn't force you." Koga chuckled, nudging her arm with his elbow. "I'm expected to offer at things like this. I honestly cant stand these events."

Kagome laughed. Of course he had no choice but to be here; he worked for the crown and he literally lived on the grounds. She wondered how often the brute man was forced to dress up and play nice when he was naturally rough around the edges, one of the leaders of their troops, and Inuyasha's main guy for missions.

It was eerie how the music in the ballroom faded away, some strings being plucked but dying off as just about every demon in the room shifted uncomfortably. She looked about curiously, the dancing stopping, people murmuring, the man beside her going undeniably rigid. His blue eyes were focused sharply, aimed at the stage where his king and queen had frozen, the little girl between them looking just as put off as she, herself, felt. Kagome watched the foreign royal on the stage - another king, she presumed; there hadn't been introductions yet - hissing vehemently at Sesshomaru, words she couldn't make out over the growing rumble of the crowd. Then he made a forceful order to an obvious demon dressed in his land's colors, the demand respectfully acknowledged, and the angry king stormed out the back in the same direction Inuyasha had left a while ago.

He'd yet to return. She hadn't failed to notice.

"Please, everyone, remain calm. Stay put. There's nothing to worry about." Queen Kagura held her hands up cautiously, speaking to the guests politely but sternly. Sesshomaru picked up his daughter, holding the nervous child close to his body as he pointed to a nearby, built guard and ushered him over. The knight didn't hesitate, pushing through the crowd until he could climb on the stage with his leaders. The king spoke to him, then clearly whispered to his princess before safely handing her over to the protection of the soldier.

"What's going on?" Kagome asked the man beside her.

"Smoke."

"Smoke?"

The king and queen left through the back, the murmuring grew a little louder, Rin tucked her head in the crevice of her guard's shoulder, other's circling them to ensure her safety from whatever may happen, Koga grabbed onto Kagome's forearm, and a slew of foreign soldiers crept in through the two entrances - some of them sauntering through the crowd, some of them lining the far walls, all of them blocking them in by closing the doors. Koga tucked her slightly behind his body, his grip never leaving her as he assertively kept her glued to him.

"Kagome, I want you to stay very close to me. Understand?"

The fear stacked inside of her. Something was wrong. Especially if the knight was so quickly alert, his free hand braced on the hilt of his sword. She hummed the affirmation he was waiting for, gasping as a man slowly made way behind her, smiling menacingly as his fingers dragged across the small of her back. Koga turned slightly, keeping her shielded by his protection as he stared down the passing guard who continued to taunt women he passed.

"What's going on?" She tried again, tone a little more unsteady, clutching the hand he held her arm with.

"I have no idea. But something tells me it isn't good." He replied, eyes shifting back and forth over the crowd.

"Where's - where's Inuyasha? Shouldn't you be with _him?"_

He didn't respond.

"Koga."

The knight finally gave a shake of his head, his long ponytail hardly shifting with how slight the movement was. "You want the blunt answer, or the simple one?"

Her stomach flurried, and she worried her bottom lip, tucking herself a little closer to his back as he broadened himself when another guard passed before him. "Blunt."

"He'd kill me if I left you."

Onigumo stormed into the courtyard, angered by the billows of dark smoke that cascaded upward, a furious orange glowing against the contrasting grey. "Where's my daughter!?" He shouted. "Where's Kikyo!?"

No one answered him, fighting the fire that was blazing in the garden.

"Kikyo! Kikyo!"

Nothing. He couldn't help himself from growing frantic, seething, worried, angry, panicked, fearful, outraged. He hadn't seen his daughter in hours, she hadn't shown up at the ball, according to that damn Sesshomaru, the stupid prince was sent to find her, and now there was a fire burning in the yard. He suspected foul play immediately, but the pressing question of his daughter's whereabouts weighed him down.

He staggered away from the unhelpful men and women, all of them too preoccupied with the show of flames to pay attention to his more important demands. The insolence. The smell of smoke filled his nostrils and overpowered any other scent that could possibly lead him to her, making his way around the grounds. As another knight ran passed, Onigumo snagged his arm, pulling him back to face the fury of his red eyes.

"Where is Inuyasha?" He asked steadily, his tone as menacing as he willed.

"I - I saw him just around the corner, Your Majesty. Near the stable house." The man answered. The king immediately dropped his grip, stomping toward the large establishment, his scowl deepening as he soon spotted the untrustworthy scoundrel.

A groundskeeper was explaining how the fire could have possibly started, explaining quickly that it was already dwindling and under control, and Inuyasha nodded gratefully, his relief believable. He sensed the rage, heard the footsteps approaching, and glanced over to see the ridiculously-dressed king of Naraku trailing over, his cheeks a blustering red to match the irises behind his dangerously-slanted eyes. The prince excused the groundskeeper, turning fully to Onigumo, fighting the smile he so badly wanted to give.

"Where is she?" He growled, halting so quickly the large crown sitting on his head tilted. It looked heavy and expensive, the metal black and twirling high to resemble tentacles. Each leg was decorated in sapphire jewels, the color deepening in the darkness they stood in.

"Who?" Inuyasha asked, feigning innocence.

"You know damn well who I'm talking about, you half-blooded freak! Where is my daughter!?"

"I haven't found her yet. I came out -"

"Liar!"

"- looking for her, the fire somehow started, and my priorities shifted!" He finished heatedly.

"You fool!"

"She's gotta be around here somewhere! If you're so worried, you can help me look."

"Where is she!?"

"I don't know! The only thing I can think of is she got nervous about the announcement and went somewhere to hide!"

"Bullshit!"

"You know Kikyo better than any of us; is there a sort of place she feels most comfortable when she's anxious?"

"Yes! Next to _me!"_

Inuyasha's facade broke then, a slow grin growing on his face. "Apparently not."

Onigumo grabbed the prince by his coat, the man surprisingly strong as he shoved Inuyasha back against the outer stable house walls. The crown had fallen off the king's head, rolling on the cobblestone until it caught in a crack, and Onigumo braced himself a mere inch from Inuyasha's nose. "You arrogant prick! How dare you pretend to know the relationship I have with my daughter? You want to know how I know you're so full of shit? Because a fire just so happens to _coincidentally _break out on the day of one of the events the two of you dreaded so outwardly, and now Kikyo is nowhere to be seen. You think you're so clever; I can see the conceit written all over your face, but your brain isn't as quick as mine. You can't get out of this arrangement, even by hiding my daughter. Did you think the two of you pretending to like each other in order to work together would get me to back down? The announcement will be made tonight no matter what, so tell me where she is!"

Inuyasha laughed, fighting the quiver in his muscles to push the king away, his fingers flexing at his sides to restrain his control. "I'm not lying, I don't know where she is. By now, she could be anywhere."

Onigumo's eyes widened, a sear of heat racing through him as he pulled Inuyasha forward just to slam him forcefully against the wall again. "Where is she!?"

"Are you worried about her safety or your deal, Your Majesty?"

"I demand you tell me!"

"Your orders mean nothing here!"

He paused, chest heaving up and down, his grip on the prince's uniform tightening. "What have you done?"

"What makes you think I've done anything? Maybe it was all Kikyo?" Inuyasha smiled, loving Onigumo's reaction to twist his glower more emphatically. "Did you ever stop to think maybe she wanted out even more than I did? Maybe she lit the fire to distract everyone. Maybe she's made some grand escape."

The king lifted a fist, throwing it against Inuyasha's face as powerfully as he could manage, the circular, purple jewel adorning his middle finger shattering against his mouth.

The prince staggered to the side, fully released by the foreign king, and it took everything in him not to turn back and retaliate with a punch of his own. Instead, he recovered with a dragged hiss of breath, the taste of copper filling his tongue, hiding how enraged he was with the same grin that got him decked. Onigumo marched toward him and Inuyasha didn't flinch, his fist raising again but before his assault could be made, he was grabbed by the crook of his arm and yanked backward.

Sesshomaru stared down the opposite king, venom swirling in his glowing, ember eyes as he used the palm of his hand to shove Onigumo even further away, hitting his sternum with a force that knocked some air from his lungs with an audible wheeze. "You dare throw a hand at a prince!?"

Onigumo scoffed, the sound dramatic and raspy. "To a king, he is nothing but beneath me!"

"You not only offend royalty in a land where you have no authority, but you impudently think being a king gives you the right to attack my brother! You are not immune to punishment here, Onigumo! Not where I'm concerned!"

"Your _brother_ has overstepped so many grounds, yet you stand there and raise your voice to me!? He accuses Kikyo of desertion! He offends royalty just as crudely, and he deserved -" A sudden realization dawned on the foreign king's face and he whipped around, pulling the stable house door open. Stepping in, his jaw dropped wider and wider, observing the empty stables, a leadening sensation sinking through his abdomen as he neared the wall her ballgown was draped over. Her tiara rested on the sheer fabric at the crest of the skirt, the single jewel in the center holding no sparkle.

"Oh, no." Inuyasha said, his tone sounding calm and overly rehearsed. "My horse is gone."

"What have you done!?" Onigumo bellowed, setting the remaining steeds on edge.

The prince slowly dragged his thumb along his bottom lip to wipe away the trickle of blood, smirking as he gave a shrug.

"What is the meaning of this!? Was this all a ruse to break the contract!? Nothing has changed, do you hear me?" The king stomped toward the prince again, his long, obsidian hair swaying enthusiastically back and forth. "You all belong to me! Now more than ever!"

"Actually," Sesshomaru spoke, enunciating every syllable of the word clearly. Kagura stood just behind him, and it was like he could physically feel her unwavering support returning from the dead, strengthening his power move all the more. Time and time again, over the years and even more so recently, she forcefully reminded him that he was too blinded by his need for control. It was bold of her to speak to him in such a manner, but that was the reason he respected her so tremendously. Kagura was infuriating and outspoken. She fought for justice fearlessly - no matter who her opponent was. Long nights, they'd spent working out every minor and minuscule detail of this alliance, from ambiguity to the fine print, and as he put forth more effort to see her point of view, no matter how badly he still stood by his decision to help his brother mature like royalty should, she finally began to warm to him again. She provided balance. She was the true essence of a queen. "Quite the contrary. We held up our end of the bargain. Inuyasha is here and ready to be married, but where is his bride? Without the wedding, it seems we have no contract."

"You signed, Sesshomaru!"

"I did, and you fail to realize that without your princess present, your terms have been dismissed."

"Don't pretend this is on me when this was clearly a ploy! Inuyasha has just as much to do with this!"

"I don't see it that way. He is here and Kikyo is not. What I find interesting is the threat you held over _our_ heads if we pulled out."

"Oh, please." Onigumo laughed. "I don't think it would be wise of you to threaten me. You wouldn't stand a chance against my forces."

"I think we'd be just fine." Sesshomaru scorned. "Especially considering that the odds of us being backed up by your other _allies _looks to be in our favor." When the foreign king only responded with a deep furrow of his brows, Sesshomaru continued. "I find your plot to trick us into an alliance very detailed and well-executed. I'll admit, you almost had me. You attacked our fort to make it seem like a test of strength, and offered your forces to us with hardly any second thought. All to say you had, what did you call it? A notch in your belt for allying with _The Great Dog Demon's _Kingdom, and a pocket to our money? What do you think your other allies would say if word got out of your scheme? Do you think they might be skeptical you may have played them, too? On top of that, imagine how easily they'd turn on you if they knew _our_ forces would be there to back them up. At that point, they'd only gain."

Onigumo stared at the mighty king incredulously, his chest inflating with the offense he'd been served. Somewhere mid-speech, his body had shifted to fully face Sesshomaru, the scowl on his features creased profoundly and trembling with the amount of righteous fury boiling through his veins. "That's preposterous. You can't prove I did a thing."

"Maybe. But I'll give you thirty seconds to try and prove you didn't. Go." The foreign king said nothing, his expression twisting from shocked, to audacious, to insulted, the hollow of his neck emphasizing from the tension climbing over his body. "That's what I thought. I'm willing to let this go for new terms. There's no need for war. I'd hate for your attention to be distracted when you're _obviously _so torn about your daughter being missing. Clearly, you'll want to put all of your effort into finding her. Am I wrong?"

"New terms?" He finally gritted.

"Of course. You didn't think we'd just shrug this off, did you? No, you've proven to be deviant and untrustworthy, so from now on we'll be keeping a _very_ close eye on you." Kagura smiled, stepping forward with her shoulders broadened.

"We will have say over your army, we will contribute to your important decision making, and we will have access to the information and conditions to the other kingdoms you ally with. You will not have reciprocation in those departments. Don't worry though, you'll still have your notch in your belt, an alliance you can brag about, and your obnoxiously-inflated ego. In return, we'll generously keep our mouths shut and you wont be punished for your deceitful manipulation or striking our prince. If you object, you'll be stripped of your crown. With or without force." Sesshomaru stated, a hint of venom lacing toward the end.

"This is blackmail! You have no jurisdiction!"

"Hence, the force. Believe me, Onigumo, you do not want to make more of an enemy of me. Our military is just about as lethal as yours, but you knew that already, didn't you? The difference here is unlike you, I ride to battle with my soldiers and I've taken heads."

"An outright threat on my life!?"

"That is completely up to you. You should consider yourself lucky I'm not directly jumping to challenge you. You've definitely earned the retaliation, but I am not completely innocent here either, and I know it. I was unwise and irrational. Therefore, I'm willing to work out the kinks in our agreement to work in _both_ of our favors. Do we have a deal?" Sesshomaru cocked a light grin.

"You will regret this, Sesshomaru." Onigumo absolutely seethed.

"So reject the offer and see if that's true. The alliance was for precautionary purposes. We need nothing from you. Be peaceful and back down, or see how quickly the world will turn against you. Kikyo already has."

"You bastard!"

_"__Do we have a deal?"_

Onigumo's chest rose and fell heavily, smoke practically leaving his nostrils with his temper, his entire face red and defeated. It was a moment, a long moment, before he notched his chin upward, and hissed a clenched, "Yes."

"Wonderful. We'll have the contract written up immediately and it will be signed in front of our audience tonight." Kagura said. "Pleasure doing business with you."

"Sesshomaru." Inuyasha stopped his brother as the three of them began to walk towards the castle, the king sauntering back his way so their voices could hang low. "You know what I want to hear."

"You set my garden on fire. I don't owe you a thing."

"Sesshomaru."

"I thought it'd be obvious that the wedding is off what-with your fiancee being M.I.A.. I didn't think I had to tell you."

Inuyasha rolled his ember eyes, shaking his head as his aggravation climbed. "Stop dancing around the subject."

The king paused, sighing out as he turned to walk away. "She's here, isn't she? Do whatever you want."

The air was incredibly stiff, guests almost completely quiet in the ballroom, and Kagome was ready to throw an elbow at the next soldier that touched her. If it hadn't been for Koga's attentive guard over her, she probably would have lost her temper by now. She'd heard mumbling from passing knights about someone being missing, but nothing was clear. Not even Koga could make out exactly what was being said, and as many times as she urged him to go find out, he refused to leave her side. Even when she offered to go with him, all he did was shake his head and flex his grip along her forearm - a gesture, she gathered, was telling her to be quiet.

His blue eyes flickered to the larger entrance of the hall just before the double doors were opened, alleviating some of the pressure in the room. Koga's hold on her gradually slackened until she was fully released, and she followed his attention, noticing how the crowd began to part like a slowly receding sea, heads lowering in timely curtsies and bows. Sesshomaru entered with his own held high, leading the group as his wife walked just inches behind him - a proud and beautiful curve on her lips. The tiara she donned was gold and small. It spoke much of her power without having to dominate the scene, her demeanor doing the rest of the work. Behind them walked the foreign king, his expression flat but his eyes more menacing than she remembered. He made a vague gesture toward a nearby guard of his, and Kagome noticed them all begin to recede to the sidelines. She guessed he'd instructed them to stand down. At the tail of the pack walked Inuyasha, and her stomach instantly leapt into her throat. His face was straight, but even from the distance she stood, she could see his head seemed to sit an inch taller. Maybe it was just how he presented himself during ceremonies; she'd never witnessed it before. He was royalty, after all. He wasn't going to look anything less in front of a crowd. He looked proud. Brave. Handsome. Stoic. It was unfair.

They made it to the stage and her heart was beating horribly. Her brown eyes unintentionally kept flashing toward the doors. Where was his fiancee? If she didn't walk in with them, did that mean she was getting some sort of grand entrance? She looked at Inuyasha and he stood off to the side, eyes on his queen as she began to speak but Kagome wasn't processing her words. She wasn't interested anymore in an explanation for the events of the evening nor the planned speech she could have very well been giving. Her fingers were trembling and she bit her bottom lip hard. Her breathing was rapidly becoming unsteady and her cheeks felt warm as she continuously thought of the princess walking in and taking her place beside the prince. Her eyes flashed to the door again. To Inuyasha. To the door. It was unbearable. She couldn't do this. It was too damn hard. She'd shown face; he knew she was there. She'd given her respects and it was time to take her leave.

Steadily, Kagome stepped back and as Koga glanced over, still as alert as ever, she could only communicate with the brisk shake of her head. He didn't try to stop her, didn't follow, didn't say a thing. The knight nodded understandingly, and she turned to inconspicuously make her exit, the weight never leaving her chest as she was freed from the ballroom, or freed from the castle, or even freed from gates. She imagined it should have gotten easier by then, but the cheering and clapping was loud enough to be heard outside and it intensified the density. Breathing was difficult and she tried to lessen the restraints on her lungs by taking tedious inhales and drawn out exhales. Her hands shook worse than ever as she fought off her onslaught of emotions, and she tried to busy them by fidgeting with the cuffs of her sleeves, pulling the other to cover her fingers as her nerves barely began to die the further she walked through the darkened and quiet town.

Running footsteps approaching caught her attention, and as they came close behind her, Kagome glanced back to see who was coming, turning completely around in surprise as Inuyasha stopped. His chest rose and fell erratically, ember eyes glued to her as the corners of his mouth twitched upward.

"Hi." He breathed.

"Hi." She hesitated, heart thumping so powerfully against her ribcage she feared he'd hear it. Just his unexpected presence had her legs feeling wobbly and light.

"You left."

Kagome sighed out whatever breath was left in her lungs as her eyes drifted to the floor. She honestly didn't think he'd notice. "Yeah. I - I was tired." She poorly lied.

It was impossible to hide the sad quirk in his brow, and he swallowed thickly to try and keep his nerve about him.

Of all things for her mind to travel to, she couldn't help but wonder if he'd get in trouble for coming after her, or if he'd snuck away like all the times before. Either way, _why?_ "What are - what are you doing out here?"

It was extraordinary, the amount of self control he found he had. She was so close, ten feet away maybe, nothing but air dividing them, and he was managing to solidly stand in place. A new feat for him when he was desperately aching to resolve this with some sort _\- any sort -_ of physical touch. That wasn't the way he would do this. There was so much to tell her. So much she deserved to know, and he'd be damned if he even let himself get in the way of that right now. "I needed to talk to you."

"About what? Is everything okay?"

"I want you to know how sorry I am about this entire ordeal. You didn't deserve it. Any of it."

"You don't have to apologize." Her voice had died off as she shook her head, her whisper enough to convey her sincerity.

"Yes, I do."

"You really don't. I don't bl-"

"Shut up." He said half defeatedly. "Let me. It's important that I start off with that because I know I let you down. And you're gonna say I didn't - yeah, I know you - but I did. You're also probably gonna say it wasn't my fault, but that doesn't matter. Not to me. I was the one that made you cry. I was the one that broke your heart. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. And I am so desperately sorry."

She shied her eyes away for a very brief moment, brown irises meeting him again with a mild guard. She didn't know where he was going with his speech, her core giving an unstable tremor from the plea in his voice. Was this his reason for running after her in the middle of the celebration? To apologize again just to turn around and walk away one last time? The thought was unpleasantly cold, and if that was the case, and solely the case, she wished he'd just go. "Inuyasha -"

"I'm not done."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I'll get to that. Just give me a chance, alright?"

There was conviction burning vividly within his gaze, and as he took two steps forward, her heart gave a thunderous pound. He seemed so bold, so eager to say what was on his tongue, his tone reaching her with direct intention - not a quiver to be heard. There was still evidence of trepidation in his body language, Kagome noticed, his breathing remaining slightly heavy and fingers twitching at his sides, and she couldn't neglect the intensity he was portraying with just the part in his lips. She yielded, throwing all her thoughts away, now wanting to hear what was on his mind just as badly as he apparently wanted to speak it.

"Why'd you actually leave?"

"Because it was too soon." Kagome apprehensively admitted, her voice involuntarily weaker than before. "I thought I could handle seeing you with her, but I was wrong. I got scared."

There was a painful twinge in his chest to know the thought of him with someone else hurt her so much. It shouldn't have been equally as satisfying, he knew, but god it was so gratifyingly good to know. He exhaled some heat, a small smile coming from it.

"The engagement's off." Inuyasha said. "You didn't get to hear that part."

Kagome's lungs hitched, her shoulders dropping their tension. Words evaded her, the news completely and entirely enrapturing her thoughts. She didn't know what to feel, how to react, when to give up and close her mouth. The engagement was off.

"It's over." He assured.

"Really?" She feebly asked.

"Really. You have no idea how hard I've struggled just to get to this point. Right here. In front of you. I couldn't do what they wanted. No matter what steps I took, it was always in your direction. Everything I did from the moment you left that day was to find my way back to you. I'll never regret it."

"What - what, exactly, does this mean?" Her voice was strengthening with her hope, he could tell, and as he leaned a little more weight to one side, the shadow of his body moved off of her and he witnessed the distant castle lights creating a heavenly glow on her cheeks. It attracted him like a moth to a flame, easily persuading him to walk the rest of the way to her. He ran the backs of his fingers over the smooth cloth of the gorgeous gown on her arms, feeling her shudder beneath his touch.

"That I'm so irrevocably weak for you. From the moment I pictured my life without you in it anymore, I crashed and burned. It only made me fight harder. You've not only captured my heart but my soul as well, and it's a gut-wrenching punishment from one rebellious act in the woods so long ago that I hope to never recover from. Kagome, I am so _unbelievably_ enchanted by you. I love you. And nothing's ever getting in my way of that again." Finally, _finally,_ Kagome touched him, her fingers fumbling with the edges of his coat. It was such a meager hold she had that increased and grew stronger with each passing second. Her breathing grew unsteady and her expression began to fold, but it was such a beautiful proclamation of happiness. Inuyasha caressed a thumb just beneath her eye, her smooth skin chilled from the night air, and he felt the push of her cheek as she smiled. _"I choose you."_

She crumbled in the most wonderful way, bouncing to her toes to meet him in a sweet and blissful kiss. He clutched her beneath the crook of her jaw, his fingers molding around her ears and threading through her dark hair. The world around them quickly vanished. To her, it was nothing but him, the warmth of his pressing body, the tenacity of his wanting lips. Even through his clothing, his skin, his muscles, his frame, she could feel his heart beating against her own chest, the sensation growing more powerful to match her own as his arms wrapped around her waist to pull her closer against him. And as Inuyasha softened, his kiss slowing and parting away to hover and graze against her mouth, Kagome shuddered of pure contentment. He'd come back.

**Epilogue: A little over a year later**

An accident, some curiosity, a thought that sparked like the kindling she carried that day, oblivion followed by acceptance, and an intense desire to experience more. They liked to say it was fate and not luck, yet the two unconditionally felt like the luckiest beings to ever walk the Earth.

_"Don't get mad." Inuyasha approached with a wary smile as Rin excused herself from their interrupted tea party with a little more sass than was necessary._

_"What did you do?" Kagome slighted, standing from her spot._

_"Nothing yet." He chuckled. "But I have to leave for a few days."_

_"Leave?"_

_"Routine check-in with a fort."_

_"For a few days?"_

_"Something like that."_

_She braced herself, crossing her arms over her chest as she felt the skeptical twitch of her own lips. Kagome knew too well that Inuyasha's time management skills were nothing to be bragged about. "How long is a few days?"_

_"Like, six or seven." The prince bobbed his head back and forth while he estimated._

_"Six or - Inuyasha, our wedding is next week!"_

_"I promise, I'll be back in time!"_

_"You freaking better be, because I'm getting married with or without you!"_

_"It might be a little hard without me."_

_"Bet."_

_"Kagome, I'll be here. I promise." Inuyasha insisted, stifling his laugh as he stepped forward to cup her cheeks in his palms._

_"For the record," She mumbled. "Few means three."_

_"Noted."_

_"When do you leave?"_

_"Tomorrow. First thing in the morning."_

_"Alright, your time is up!" Rin stormed back through the door, curving right around her uncle, wedging her small body between them, and shoving his legs backward toward the exit. "It's tea time, I'm thirsty, and I don't remember inviting you!"_

_"You used to be so sweet to me. What happened?" The prince asked, stumbling as he turned around and pretended to resist her push._

_"During tea, the only thing sweet here are the cookies. No boys allowed, you know better."_

Kagome fiddled with the silver band on her finger, feeling the four leaves along their thin, metal branch twirl around the tiny diamond perfectly. No matter how many times Kaede attempted to convince her out of the shop, Kagome kept finding something to help with, preventing her success and bringing Sango to laugh from the corner she observed from. Ever since their relationship was made known and she was moved into the castle, the knight accompanied her everywhere. Being engaged to the prince made her vulnerable, and it was definitely something she had to grow adjusted to, but it helped that Sango felt more like her friend than her bodyguard.

"Kagome, for the last time, would you go home?" Kaede chuckled, pointing toward the door. "Your wedding is tomorrow! Do what you need to do to prepare; you know very well that I can handle things around here!"

"My wedding gown is fitted and ready, the general plans were decided on weeks ago, it's cute that you think they'd actually allow me to help put the decorations together, and I'd like to keep busy here since my fiancee has yet to return, anyway." Kagome responded, dropping her fidgeting to grind the plants harder in the stone bowl before her. "And even if he does get here on time, I give you no guarantees he'll make it to the ceremony once I'm done with him."

"Now, now. You know very well only the strongest of importances would hold him back, lass."

She rolled her eyes, continuing her overly-aggressive grind until the apothecary snagged the pestle from her grip and shoved her out of her stool, continuing to guide her toward the door.

"Hey - wait - hey!"

"You've done more than necessary. The shop is closed."

"It's not even three!"

"I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Kaede!"

"Sango, lock her in the bathhouse until she -"

"Alright, alright! I'm going. I'm fine. I'm going. No need to lock me anywhere." Kagome huffed, holding her hands up cautiously. Sango giggled, opening the door for them. As she wandered out, she tensed and froze, her prince standing just to the side with an amused and knowing expression on his face.

"I heard you. Was that a threat?" Inuyasha laughed. He loved the way her face shifted from shocked, to happy, to a forced pout of annoyance where she still had to fight off her smile.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said, brushing passed him as she notched her chin an inch higher, her smile inevitably winning over her scowl.

"Excuse me, where are you going?"

"Taking the woodland path back."

"Oh," Inuyasha chuckled. "Is that how it is? You're just gonna pretend you're not happy to see me?"

"Who's pretending?"

The prince ran over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and snagging her back to reset her in the general direction of the main road. "Nope, I'm taking you through town where you'll _have_ to walk holding my hand or else everyone will know you're mad at me! And we wouldn't want that, would we?"

"You must think you're so cunning, don't you?" Kagome mocked, laughing.

"As a matter of fact, I do. Get going." He gave her a shove and she continued as he wanted, sauntering toward the side of the shop to get to the road and spinning around to walk backward as she gave him a grimace.

"Fine, you can hold my hand. But I won't smile."

"I would never ask you to." He followed, grinning arrogantly.

"You're late, Inuyasha."

"By a day."

"Our wedding is tomorrow."

"I haven't forgotten."

"I should have known you were going to do this."

"I love your confidence in me."

"You really cut it close."

"For good reason."

"And that would be?" Inuyasha gestured for her to turn around with a nod of his head, and all she did was deepen her grimace.

"Temper still as hot as always, I see." A boy's voice rang, and Kagome swiftly glanced over her shoulder. A tall teenager with trimmed, black hair stood smirking about twelve feet away, shorter than her by an inch or so but resembling their father in more ways than she'd ever imagined. Just beside him, her mother cocked her head, the smile on her smooth and ageless face bringing Kagome's breath to silently hitch as she fully processed exactly who was standing before her.

It was astounding how quickly a prick stung at her eyes, her cheeks washing over in heat, and she turned completely around to face the two people she'd least expected to see; dumbfounded, speechless.

"Look how much you've grown." Her mother teared, brows crinkling as she lost her composure. Kagome ran to her, embraced in her mother's hold for the first time in so many years. She happily cried as she switched back and forth from her to her younger brother, gathering bits and pieces of their story of how Inuyasha found them and brought them out for the wedding. When she turned around to see the smug look she was sure was on her fiancee's face, she noticed he'd snuck away, most likely through the woodland path, leaving Sango to observe and walk back with them when they were ready.

––

Kagome leaned along the railing of her suite's balcony, staring out at the darkness of the forest, too excited to sleep. She'd already expected tomorrow to be such a perfect day from the moment Inuyasha had proposed. Now, with her own family included as well, she'd be walking on cloud nine toward her soon-to-be husband as opposed to the carpet that was carefully laid out. The breeze of the quiet night couldn't even chill the warmth still coursing through her veins.

A brisk rasp on her door brought her back to her room, her attention flying behind her as she wondered who could possibly be visiting her at a time like this. Figuring it was her mother, Kagome welcomed them in, stepping back to the carpet and shutting the balcony doors. The prince slowly entered, poking his head in first before sliding all the way through. She didn't even hesitate, her squeal of elation semi-hushed as she crossed the floor and sped to him, knowing full and well he'd catch her.

"I've been looking for you all day!" She said after a long-overdo kiss.

"I didn't want you to feel obligated to share your attention with me." He stated, keeping his voice down. It definitely wasn't the first time he'd broken the rules and snuck into her room late at night, but it was absolutely the last time he _could_ and he'd be damned if he passed up the opportunity. That didn't mean he wanted to be caught and torn away. "You deserved your time with them."

"I never got to thank you, though."

"Well, I guess you can just thank me now." Inuyasha kissed her, his lips growing more greedy as he fervently backed her up, his hands around her waist to support any stumbling. She matched his enthusiasm, her fingers threading through his short, tousled hair, showing so much trust in his hold on her. Slowly, steadily, he leaned her back onto her bed, never ceasing the tempting dance of their mouths while he carefully situated his body over hers, hovering more towards the side as he carefully lowered himself down, one of his legs draped over her to rest his knee between her thighs. She followed his frame, curling to fit him as perfectly as possible as her hands wandered beneath the collar of his shirt and her leg hiked to rest over his.

"You're incredible, did you know that?" Kagome whispered, dragging a single finger along the thin chain that hung around his neck. "I don't know what I did to deserve you."

"So, you're not mad at me anymore?" Inuyasha teased.

"No, you're safe for now."

He'd spent time grazing her skin, laying with her, telling her about his trip to find her family with minor detail as he knew she was comfortable against his chest and getting sleepy, yet forcing herself to stay awake so she could hear every word. So he coerced her to crawl to the head of the bed with him, tucking them both beneath the comforter because she had a grasp on his shirt that told him he wasn't allowed to leave yet. She'd missed him and he'd missed her. The trip was entirely for her surprise, but it was still a bout of separation and this was how they coped. Every time.

Kagome's eyes were closed but she wasn't asleep yet. Her fingers were finally warming after she bravely pulled his shirt from the tuck in his pants and gently rested them against the muscles of his sides. Her breathing was evening, and he softly raked his fingers through the smooth hair at her temple. She seemed so peaceful at his side, tucked into his body like it was where she was naturally meant to be.

"Are you happy?" He genuinely asked, never stopping the glide that soothed her. She opened her eyes, her fingers gripping him just a little firmer as she smiled.

"In a few hours, I get to call myself your wife and you my husband. I get to spend the rest of my life like this with you. Inuyasha, I am so far beyond happy."


	10. Ever After

**Soooooooo, today's the one year anniversary of Enchanted, and when I realized this date was coming a month ago, this particular idea came to mind. I'd be lying if I said I'd never thought about what happened after the story ended, so here we are. An additional epilogue to wrap everything up.**

**I hope you enjoy this. Thanks so much for reading, friends!**

* * *

Five years had come and gone in the blink of an eye. From royalty lessons - years' worth crammed into exhausting months, to maintaining her apprenticeship with the apothecary, to politics, to appearances. From staying out of the way of the king entirely, to him warming up to her to the point where he would actually look in her general direction - because this was King Sesshomaru, of course, and his version of warmth was the consideration of _not_ inching his chin upward in superiority. From growing fully acclimated to being addressed as a princess, to the appropriateness a princess is expected to uphold, to the wonderful, loving, and bountiful payout of spending the remainder of her life by Prince Inuyasha's side.

Kagome softly grazed the very tips of her fingers over the small swell of her stomach, the scarlet dress she wore comfortably accommodating the bump. She'd groaned when they'd brought out the damned carriage for their journey, always having loved the freedom of horseback. She felt so doted on in a carriage, so helpless, and it grabbed a large amount of attention. Attention everyone preferred to avoid. Horseback meant she could explore as they traveled. Horseback meant she could keep up with the lot, and take up responsibility to help. But, life was growing, and to protect that life, riding alongside her partner in open nature was no longer an option. Inuyasha, on the other hand, was seemingly unbothered by the changes that came. Over the passing weeks, he let her sleep as her fatigue robbed her of her energy, he wiped her tears when her building emotions made her weep over a litter of kittens born in the stables - he laughed though; he isn't _that_ nice, he brought her food and snacks before she even spoke of hunger, and _he_ was the one whom insisted upon the carriage if she were to join them. He accepted her meager complaints with a complaisant grin, his ember eyes appeared more vibrant than ever, and without request, prodding, or persuasion, Inuyasha willingly chose to ride with her in the carriage. So she wasn't alone, he'd said. Where she went, he went, he'd said. Shut it and stop questioning me already, he'd said.

"My darling husband?" Kagome spoke gently, her voice just above a hush as she placed her palm flat at the top of her tummy.

"My beloved wife?" Inuyasha hummed in return, sitting across from her, golden gaze fluttering up to her face for a brief moment before they washed back down to the ankle of hers that he sweetly massaged, resting along his thigh. His large hands pushed the hem of her dress a little further up her shin as he rubbed the heat of his palms over them, smoothing over her soft flesh, and back to her foot where he gently and mindlessly kneaded.

"There's a chance that my stomach will grow large. With that growth may come stretch marks. They may be light, they may be dark, I may get lucky and receive none, or they may appear unsightly. Will you still love my body then?" A part of her knew the answer, but the dominating and self conscious part wanted reassurance that her worries were nothing more than in her head.

Inuyasha fought the chuckled that welled in his throat, subsiding it with a simple huff as an honest smirk curved at his lips. His fingers stopped their massaging, eyes giving her his full attention while he deliberated on his answer. "You must not be paying as close attention as I thought you were." He said.

Kagome's brows twitched inward in curious speculation.

Inuyasha whispered as he continued, "Those nights when I slowly remove your clothing, taking my damn time, doing as I please. Those nights when I lay you down, pinning you beneath me, kissing every inch of you until you're squirming." He proudly noted the way her cheeks deepened in color, the way her lips pressed tightly together in embarrassment as she clearly hoped no one outside of the carriage could hear him. Inuyasha sucked in a breath between his teeth, shrugging his brows as he looked away to find her shoe, gently slipping the flat back onto her foot and placing it along the floor before crossing the small gap to sit beside her. With a simple tug on her outer thigh, the prince moved his princess to face him better as he leaned closer to her ear. "Now, I definitely thought you knew what I was doing. You seem to like it. Then again, you seem to like any attention I give you - gentle or otherwise."

All Kagome could muster was a breathy huff in reply, the heat of her face overwhelming, the heat of his breath furthermore, the heat of his palm soaking through the cloth of her dress distracting, and the heat of his words bringing her back to just the other night.

"I have a tendency, I find, to linger around your thighs. Your hips. Your ass."

She giggled that time.

"Particularly, here." Inuyasha admitted, his hand traveling upward to squeeze the fleshy area of hip and leg. "See, you have these stretch marks on both sides." Another breath sucked between his teeth as he nudged her jaw out of his way, pressing a small kiss to the delicate skin just beneath. "I don't think words would do my adoration of them justice. If you asked me to worship your stretch marks, I'd drop to my knees. If you told me to kiss them until the end of time, I'd consider myself the luckiest man to live with not a moment to waste. You have these stretch marks because your body and curves were specifically designed to torture me." He rumbled, quickly maneuvering her legs to rest over his so he could curl his fingers over the thickness of her bottom. "How do you not realize that if you just so happen to develop stretch marks on your stomach from bearing my child, you would merely be giving me more to revere? I'm disappointed in you, Kagome. Everything you idiotically think is a blemish is gold in my eyes, and I thought I'd made that perfectly clear by now. Unless -" He nipped her neck, and he could physically feel the way her body tensed so she wouldn't make a noise. "Unless I need to refresh your memory? Or do you understand now?"

Voice higher than normal, shaken, betraying, Kagome responded with a hummed yes to convey her understanding. Inuyasha smiled against her neck, placing one last kiss there before pulling back with the most arrogant smirk she'd ever seen on his handsome face - and that was saying something. Carefully, he readjusted her sitting position, gliding his hand over the little swell of her abdomen as he kissed her cheek, and returned to his original side of the carriage. As if nothing had happened, Inuyasha gestured for her unattended to foot, slipping the flat off and massaging.

Kagome had to stare out the crack of the curtain of the window to distract herself, waiting for the blush that warmed her face to finally fade away as her flustered state took its sweet time dwindling.

"You know, a simple 'yes' would have sufficed."

"No, it wouldn't have!" Inuyasha laughed, shaking his head, his pride still obviously through the roof.

"You're an evil man."

"I'm rubbing your feet, am I not?" His laugh faded to a light chuckle, delight painted in his smile, bringing her to laugh as well.

As the silence came forth, comfortable and balanced, Kagome pursed her lips, her mind still occupied. "But, when we get home, I wouldn't mind -"

"I know." Inuyasha nodded, a crooked angle to his grin as he stared out the crack in the curtain. "You'll get it."

Kagome giggled, playfully flicking her foot at him as he continued to knead away the tension.

The sound of the hooves of prancing horses surrounding them played into her contentment, the wheels of the carriage on the dirt road they traveled mostly smooth, rumbling, calming. There was the slight murmur of guards as they idly chatted with one another, an occasional call from birds they passed, and the distinct huff from the horse Miroku rode just outside the door.

It was impossible not to notice the flick of an ear atop Inuyasha's head as his attention was grasped. Had she not already been looking at him - discreetly admiring him, really - the heavy twitch of the appendage would have caught her eye, anyway. His brows furrowed slightly, amber eyes staring at nothing as he focused on his heightened senses before assertively striking the top of the carriage wall with the side of his fist. All conversation outside died, traffic slowing until they stopped completely just seconds later.

"What's wrong?" Kagome asked, sitting up straight to take her foot back but Inuyasha held onto her, making sure to place her flat back on her heel before gently planting it on the floor.

"Nothing."

"Liar."

"Could be nothing." Inuyasha suggested, pushing the door open as he stepped out, hopping down to the dirt road. His tone changed as he spoke to the knights around, lowering to the authoritative level the prince only carried when giving orders. "Report."

"Koga's already checking it out, Your Highness." Miroku responded, gesturing to the beautifully freckled and rider-less horse whose reins were held firmly by another knight. Swinging his leg from over his steed, he dismounted to stand level with the prince.

"What was that?"

"Sounded like a child. Maybe it's lost." Sango mentioned as she joined the two.

Inuyasha instantaneously tensed, his nose scrunching before he twisted around to face his maternal-instinct-ridden wife, his finger pointed at her sternly as she was just about to climb out. "No."

"What!?" Kagome responded defensively.

"No." Inuyasha chuckled.

"But -"

"No."

"I want to help!"

"Nothing's even been confirmed yet! Sit!"

Kagome dropped her butt to sit in the entry, feet propped on the top step as she crossed her arms with a pouty huff.

"I heard something else." He mentioned, turning his attention back to his aides and the two other guards that stood by. "Something quick. Maybe large; it's hard to tell." The prince leaned closer to quietly whisper the rest to those involved so as not to upset Kagome. "But, I smell blood."

"Probably why Koga rushed off so quickly." Miroku nodded understandingly.

"Maybe he should have backup just in case." Sango offered.

"No. Not yet. His instincts are sharp; he wouldn't have gone on his own if he didn't feel like he could handle it. He'll signal if he needs somebody."

"And, if he doesn't?" Sango countered.

"He's got five minutes." Inuyasha sighed.

The prince was fully prepared to follow Koga's scent into the forest if his allotted time had run out, leaving the rest to protect his princess if anything happened. His sword was already along his hip, his senses were attuned to his surroundings, and as he leaned against the side of the carriage, his shoulder resting against Kagome's thigh, he counted down the minutes. No signal was sent as of yet, and his golden eyes were trained in the direction he'd gone.

He'd heard walking coming through an unmarked trail in the woods, the smell of blood growing more prominent, but as it all came closer, Inuyasha could easily tell it wasn't a large amount. It was there, but no one was bleeding out, nor were they about to see a gruesome scene.

Koga emerged onto the path carrying a small boy, little arms wrapped around his shoulders as the wolf demon knight rubbed his back soothingly. The child was clearly demon, the tiny feet appearing at the bottom of his pants padded like paws, and the tail poking through bushy, slightly frazzled, and speaking of his anxiety.

"Little guy got snagged by a hunting trap." Koga mentioned as Inuyasha stood up straight, alert. "His leg's hurt."

With a deep sigh, Kagome carefully maneuvered her way down the steps, adjusting her scarlet dress as she reached the ground, and walked toward Koga cautiously. The last thing she wanted was to approach quickly and startle the little boy further. She stopped with room to spare, curving toward Koga's side so she could see the child's face as he peeked from the crook of Koga's neck.

"Hi there." Kagome smiled warmly, her brown eyes meeting his green. "My name's Kagome. What's yours?"

He didn't respond, his small hands not yet releasing their grip on the guard's coat.

"He hasn't spoken." Koga mentioned. "I tried getting his name earlier."

"Oh, well that's alright." She sweetly assured. "You must be frightened. I promise you, not a soul here will hurt you. We only mean to help. And, I've got a few things with me that might make your leg feel better. Would it be okay if I took a quick look?"

The young boy apprehensively nodded, and Kagome carefully pulled up the dirtied leg of his pants, eyeing the wound that marred the flesh above his ankle. It wasn't severe, it wasn't broken, so she imagined it must have been a rope snare that caught him. Rope that was coarse, tattered, and tightened at a bad angle to inflict this sort of damage. Something definitely meant for an animal.

"You poor thing." Kagome breathed. "May I bandage it for you?"

With less hesitation this time, he nodded again.

"Would you like to come with me, or would you be more comfortable with Koga holding you while I did it?"

He reached for her, finally releasing his grip on the knight, and she'd be a rotten liar if she denied that her heart sputtered heavily within her chest at the adorable action. He nestled into her arms, resting his chin on her shoulder as he gripped the back of her neck, his copper hair tickling her cheek but nothing she minded in the least as she carried him back toward the carriage. The guards were kind enough to give them space as she made her way toward the back, seeking out the small case with her supplies.

"I've got it." Inuyasha offered, gently pushing her hand aside so he could un-wedge it from between the other luggage they'd brought along.

Kagome grinned, happily accepting his help as she sauntered back to the entry of the carriage, softly setting the young boy down on the bottom step where she sat on her knees before him, pulling the length of her dress out from beneath her.

"Your High-"

"Hush." She kindly silenced a guard, having already expected someone to speak up.

"Would you like my jacket to kneel on?" He offered again.

"Absolutely not." She declined with the hint of humor on her tongue, shaking her head.

"You should know well by now that a forest nymph doesn't mind getting a little dirty." Her husband said, setting the case down beside her as he softly patted the top of her head. She thanked him as he stepped back, opening it up to seek out the ointment she'd need.

As she went to push the pants up the little boy's leg to reveal the injured flesh, she noticed the wide, curious eyes that were set on her, his lips parted in silent awe.

"What? Are you okay?" Kagome hastily inquired. He only widened his eyes further bringing her to nervously giggle. "What?"

In the smallest whisper, the boy asked, "Are you a princess?"

Kagome sighed heavily, relieved, hanging her head as she chuckled. She let the question sit for a moment as she breathed in, leveling her eyes with him once more as she smiled. "Only by marriage."

"Which means, yes." Inuyasha spoke as he crouched down beside her, his tone husky but the amusement evident. "She _is_ a princess."

The tiniest of gasps was heard from the child as he then evaluated the man next to her, his short, tousled, light hair, his attire that dressed him much like the guards but with an air of authority, his very close proximity of the one already announced as a royal that no commoner in their right mind would ever be in. Unless they were royalty, as well.

"This is my husband, Inuyasha." Kagome introduced.

"Wow." The kid speculated, green eyes bright, and his voice finally being heard. "I've never met royals before. Are you from around here? Do you have a large castle? Why aren't you wearing crowns? Do you have a different crown for every day of the week? No, of course not, because you aren't wearing one right now. Unless they're just too heavy. They must be heavy. Are they heavy?"

The both of them laughed lightly, Kagome's long, dark hair swinging to the front of her shoulders as she tried to hide her humor by ducking her head; especially since Inuyasha's initial expression in reaction was slightly taken aback, slightly dumbfounded - most likely due to the sudden, talkative nature the boy presented.

"Well?" He prodded, earnestly waiting for an answer to each question.

"Oh, uh -" The prince scrunched his nose, deliberating on where to begin, hoping he remembered it all. "We're from a kingdom quite a ways away. We only wear our crowns on special occasions. We've only got one each and they're honestly pretty light, but that's just the way ours are designed. My brother's is ridiculously heavy; it's almost stupid. And, uh -"

"Oh, the castle." Kagome reminded.

"Ah, yes. Um, yeah, I guess it's pretty big." He shrugged modestly. "I've seen smaller - I've seen larger."

"But, then what are you doing here?" The young boy inquired, his expression twisted in confusion.

"We're actually just passing through." Kagome answered, finally getting to work and pushing his pants out of her way.

"Yes, and it was intended to be done discreetly. So, if you don't mind, can this meeting be our little secret?" Inuyasha asked, cocking a brow.

"I've been told I'm horrible at keeping secrets." He admitted without remorse. Kagome laughed as Inuyasha pinched his lips into a flat line.

"Wonderful. Something we should have covered first, I suppose." He sarcastically stated, raising to a stand as he swiped his hands through his hair, heading to wait with the knights.

"Well, since you're so chatty now, would you mind telling me your name?" Kagome asked, soaking a cotton pad in a cleansing salve. "I think it's only fair since you know so much about us."

"It's Shippo, Your Highness."

"Please, just call me Kagome."

"I wont get into trouble?" He questioned softly.

"Believe me, there are very few people who I insist respectfully address me as royalty, and they're usually complete jerks who deserve to be taken down a peg or two." She smirked. "Otherwise, I just prefer my name. Especially if we're friends. This may sting a little, Shippo. Are you ready?"

The little boy nodded, apprehension returning to crease at his brow, but he took it bravely, hardly flinching as Kagome carefully cleaned his wound and the stained blood around it, gently blowing to calm whatever burn lingered. She applied ointment next, using a generous amount to coat the wound nicely before she wrapped it securely in bandages.

"There you are." Kagome smiled sweetly, allowing him to lift his ankle to assess the wrappings. "I would recommend you stay off of it for a couple of days. And, keep it clean. You don't want an infection."

"Don't worry, Kagome!" He beamed appreciatively as he lowered his pant leg. "The lady of our house takes real good care of us when we get hurt!"

"Speaking of which, where do you live? What were you doing in the forest?"

"Exploring. I didn't see the trap. I - um - went further than I'm allowed to go," Shippo admitted sheepishly. "But I live in the town a little ways behind those woods."

"Someone must be awfully worried about you." Kagome sighed, ruffling his copper hair. "Come on, let's get you home."

She heard a long, steady inhale from behind, and knew full and well exactly who it came from. In addition, she knew exactly what that breath meant. She knew the exact expression Inuyasha was wearing. She knew the exact, tense body language he was presenting and attempting to ease with sympathy. And, she knew exactly what he was about to say as she rose to stand, turning to meet his gaze.

"Kagome, you have to stay here. Miroku and I will take him home." He said, ember eyes vibrant with the sun peeking through the roaming clouds.

"No." She tried.

"Yes." He countered steadily.

"No."

"Yes."

"No." Kagome whined that time, her shoulders slumping as she gave into her inadvertent pout. Inuyasha chuckled, moving forward to lovingly cup her cheeks in his hands.

"You know better. If we haven't checked out a place beforehand, you can't go. Your safety is the most important thing to me, my love."

"You only call me that when you're trying to avoid being in trouble." Kagome moped, leaning into his hold.

"Is it working?" Inuyasha grinned.

"No."

"How about this: If we deem it safe enough, I'll come back to get you and we'll find something to eat there."

Kagome perked up, brown eyes alight at the thought of food, nodding in agreement as her prince chuckled again.

"Thought so." Inuyasha remarked, kissing her forehead. With a shrug, he went to remove his coat, which was what usually tipped off the masses of him having a high status, handing it over to Kagome. From the side, Miroku began to do the same, the both of them removing their swords as well - leaving them with just the knives concealed within their boots. Now, they looked almost ordinary, donned in black Bastian shirts tucked into their white pants, and black boots.

"Wait, was eating soon not already the plan?" Kagome quirked as he gave her belly a little rub before stepping over to pick up Shippo.

"Ready to go?"

"Was - was that not the plan?" She tried again as amusement caused his grin to grow wide - though he clearly attempted to hide it.

"I'll be back, princess." He said, avoiding her audacious glare. "Let's go, Miroku."

"Coming." The aide snickered, jogging over, giving Kagome's belly a playful rub, then hastily catching up to the prince as her expression was redirected toward him.

"Goodbye, Kagome! Thank you for bandaging me up!" Shippo called, waving from his new seat atop Inuyasha's shoulders.

She gave a meager wave to the boy, breathing out defeatedly as Koga and Sango approached at her sides.

"There's a quarter demon child growing inside of me, and he made eating seem conditional." Kagome said.

"I'm going to be surprised if he survives this." Koga mentioned forwardly.

"Me too." She agreed as Sango laughed.

—

"So, did I hear correctly? Your name is Shippo?" Inuyasha asked, securely holding the boy by his thighs so as to not agitate his injury. The child's small hands were lightly placed on the sides of the prince's head, just below his ears.

"You did." He confirmed brightly.

"Well, Shippo, am I going in the right direction? You'll have to lead us." The prince said, though it wasn't all that true. Once they'd passed a certain point of shrubbery in the forest, he'd begun to smell the life of a town nearby. He just wanted to give the boy the authority, knowing it usually boosted a child's confidence, and he figured there was no harm in which since Shippo had had a bit of a rough time earlier.

"I think so." Shippo said, almost unsurely. He hadn't been this far out alone before, but he could detect the scent of dinners being made in homes a little further off, so he relied on that sense. "Maybe a little to the left passed that tree."

Inuyasha chuckled softly, doing as he said.

"Why did you guys take off your jackets and swords? If you told the princess you're worried about unexpected danger, isn't heading off without your swords kind of, I don't know, the opposite of what you should do?"

Miroku laughed, "If a knight only relied on his weapon, he'd be useless."

"Aside from that," Inuyasha spoke. "I mentioned we'd wanted to stay under the radar. The more casual we look, the better."

"No one around here has a carriage. Not like yours, at least. If you thought your clothes were the only dead giveaway, think again." Shippo slighted.

"No one around here will _see_ the carriage." Inuyasha retorted.

"Oh, good point."

"Think you can hold onto this secret of ours? At least until we leave?"

"How long will that be?" Shippo inquired innocently.

"How long can you go?" Inuyasha laughed.

"Five minutes?" He asked more than stated.

"So much for bringing Kagome through for food." Miroku chuckled, causing Inuyasha to grimace nervously at his fate.

"Oh! When I left to explore, Kikyo was making banana bread! It should be done by now; I'm sure she'd be more than happy to send you off with some! The princess will love it!"

Inuyasha and Miroku both perked, slowly turning to look at each other with peculiar, suspicious expressions. Slowly, the two began shaking their heads to dismiss the incredulous idea, silently mouthing, "No" back and forth to each other from the total disbelief.

"Is - uh - is Kikyo your mother?" Miroku asked.

"No, I don't have a mother." Shippo shook his head. "Kikyo's the lady of the house. She brings in those who have been orphaned and takes good care of us! There's five children living there right now. I'm the only boy, so that obviously makes me the man of the house."

"And, has Kikyo _always_ been part of your town?" Inuyasha questioned.

"I don't know, I'm only six." The boy shrugged, his attention diverting as he slightly bounced atop the prince's shoulders. "Oh, I know where we are! Take a left at that broken tree and we'll be able to see everything!"

Sure enough, just down the slope of the hill they stood on came the sight of a small, homely town. The streets were paved with cobblestone, houses in stable structure, closely knit together with little fenced yards, expanding out into the distant countryside where farmers grew their crops. It seemed to be a thriving community; wholesome and beautiful.

Carefully, they made their way down, and Inuyasha gave a gentle reminder to Shippo to keep their secret to the best of his abilities. The boy gave an enthusiastic nod, gesturing that he'd zipped his mouth shut, which all but disappeared the moment a woman waved to the young child and he shouted a boisterous greeting back at her.

"Who are your friends? I've never seen you lot around here." She mentioned with a grin. Inuyasha sucked in an anticipating breath, holding it as he tensed, and he could tell Shippo easily almost slipped his tongue.

"Oh, this is -" He froze, correcting himself. "Actually, I don't know who they are. They just helped me get back here. I had a bit of an accident."

"I'm Miroku." Inuyasha's aide friendly offered with a slight bow of his head, keeping the suspicion from the woman to a minimum. He pointed to Inuyasha with his thumb, "This is my friend, Koga. We were passing through when we found the little guy and thought it best to see him home."

Inuyasha almost deadpanned, catching himself before it was made obvious. For the past six years, whenever they played incognito, which really wasn't all that often, that was the name he was forced to go by. He honestly shouldn't be surprised anymore, but he couldn't help but wonder if he'd ever live that moment in his life down. Miroku gave him a smug grin, waving goodbye to the lady as she commented on their kindness and let them be on their way.

"Take a right at that street and it'll be the third house on the left. With the vegetable garden out front." Shippo guided as they carried on.

The smell of food was alight in the district, fires burning in stoves, vegetables being diced. They passed a little bar on their way and Inuyasha crinkled his nose at the harsh aroma of hard liquor fuming through the cracks of the door, the sound of clinking glasses and intoxicated laughter meeting his sensitive ears. The town seemed, for the most part, safe from what he could tell; lively, the streets still inhabiting plenty of people as they walked with groceries or finished up their days. A group of teen girls stared, whispering to each other in a small huddle, and as the two men turned their heads, noticing them, the girls shyly waved, giggling madly and ducking their heads to hide their blushes.

"Ah, I've still got it." Miroku remarked proudly, waving back at them.

"Got what?" Shippo asked, naive.

"Charm, good looks -"

"A big ego." Inuyasha interjected, chuckling.

"Yikes." Miroku responded semi-dramatically, laughing.

The fence outside Shippo's house was modest and homemade, each wooden post sized differently, uneven, and some standing just slightly crooked, all of which was secured together with some sturdy rope to divide their property from their neighbors'. Inuyasha couldn't help but smile at the humble allure of it all. From the outside, the house seemed quaint and spacious. He couldn't give fair judgement just yet, but he sensed, overall, orphans had a good home, a good opportunity here.

"Just go on in; it's open." Shippo welcomed, resting his chin atop Inuyasha's head.

Respectfully, Inuyasha gave a couple sturdy knocks before twisting the doorknob to walk through. The scent of baking bread from outside was wonderful, but his nose was delighted at how powerful the aroma became just in the entryway. Along with that, there was food cooking. Plenty of it. There was slight chatter from distant rooms, rustic decor, and beneath it all lingered a very, _very_ faint yet familiar scent.

Small feet pattered along the floor in their direction, a young girl looking to be about ten years old appearing in the open doorway at the far, left corner of the entry room, a well-used apron tied around her waist to protect her overdress. A small smile on her lips welcomed them, her eyes traveling over them as she quietly inspected the two strangers before her expression faltered at the sight of Shippo on Inuyasha's shoulders.

"Shippo, there you are. Where have you been? You know you're not supposed to be gone for so long, no less on your own. Kikyo was about to head out searching for you." She spoke, half lecturing - half concerned.

"I didn't mean to." Shippo defended. "I - uh - had a bit of an accident. But, some new friends helped me and brought me back."

Inuyasha raised the small boy over his head, carefully holding him in his arms as he kneeled down before the girl. "He actually got snagged in a hunting trap. Poor guy didn't see the damned thing, and his leg got caught. We got him fixed up, but he needs to stay off of it for a little while."

Her eyes widened in shock, a worried expression taking over as she looked at the small boy. "Are you okay? Does it hurt?"

"A little, but I'm perfectly fine. I hardly cried." Shippo boasted with a prideful shrug, bringing Inuyasha and Miroku to glance at each other with muffled amusement.

"Yeah, sure, I believe that." The girl rolled her eyes. "Lucky these men were around to help. Thank you so much," She said, turning her attention to Inuyasha. "He wasn't too much trouble, was he?"

"I get hurt and _I'm_ the one that's trouble." Shippo mumbled beneath his breath.

"Not at all." Inuyasha chuckled. "We were happy to help."

"Accidents happen all the time. It's good that we were around when it occurred." Miroku added. "Who knows how long he would have been stuck there until someone found him."

"We can't thank you enough." She smiled, moving to take Shippo from Inuyasha's gentle hold. "Can I get you something in return? A glass of water for your journey back from where you came from? Food? I'm afraid dinner isn't done yet, but we have baked goods. I made cookies from scratch!"

"Don't eat those." Shippo murmured, shaking his head at the prince.

"Don't listen to him."

"No, don't worry about it. You owe us nothing." He grinned crookedly, still kneeling before her. There was a tingle in his stomach, his senses, his mind still focusing on that tiny, recognizable scent. There was no way he could leave here until he investigated it, and the thought had that nervous jitter unraveling his abdomen all at once. "If - if it's not too much to ask, may I meet this Kikyo? Just to let her know, myself, what happened."

"Of course." The girl smiled happily, leading them off. "She's in the kitchen. This way."

Inuyasha regarded his aide with an anxious twitch at the corner of his lips, knowing Miroku would read his body language perfectly clear. The knight, in turn, responded with a slight shrug of his brow communicating his anticipation, and then followed behind the prince.

"Shippo's back!" The little girl announced as they entered the decently-sized kitchen, carrying him around the counter to personally present the child to Kikyo.

Her back was to the men, her long, straight, black hair secured in a low ponytail, standing at the far counter as she immediately stopped chopping potatoes to acknowledge the children beside her. As she turned, concerned expression deep, crouching down to inspect the little boy's condition, Inuyasha took in her profile, smiling warmly and sighing out in relief. After all these years, it was so good to finally know she was okay. Healthy. Alive.

"What in the world happened?" Kikyo asked exasperatedly.

"Heh," Shippo had never looked more nervous. "Don't be mad, okay?"

Kikyo snickered in return, "Don't give me a reason to be mad, okay?" She countered, grinning daringly while cocking her head to the side as she waited for an explanation. Same, old attitude.

"Well - um - long story short, I was out exploring and got my leg stuck in a hunting trap. I was rescued, bandaged, and escorted home by - um - them." Shippo sheepishly pointed to Inuyasha and Miroku.

Kikyo's gaze followed the boy's direction, instantly landing on the men in the kitchen entryway. Silver hair and dog ears, a dark, Bastian shirt revealing a portion of chest where a gold chain just barely peeked through, amber eyes that regarded her kindly, a casual manner to his posture as he leaned against the wall frame, and a familiar guard who overlooked the scene next to him. Her chest grew heavy, at first sending her nerves alight but then the weight turning into something wonderful and nostalgic, as it dawned on her who the boy's rescuers were. Her lips slowly parted but her breath was held captive, and she couldn't stop herself from rising to a stand, facing the prince fully, finally sighing out as she smiled at him.

"Well, well. Look who it is." Kikyo all but whispered.

"It's been a while." Inuyasha greeted, giving a little cock of his head.

"It certainly has."

"Do you know each other?" The little girl holding Shippo asked, expression muddled with perplexity.

With an unsettled and breathy chuckle, Kikyo looked down at her from the side. "We've met once before."

"Wait," Shippo started, almost assertively, the hint of surprise on his tongue. "Kikyo, you know him?"

"I do." She replied with amusement.

"You know who he is!?"

She bent down, facing him, hands braced on her knees as she smiled. "Do _you_ know who he is?"

"Do _you!?"_ The boy's green eyes almost popped out of his head, his voice cracking from shock.

"I'll tell you what," Kikyo laughed, almost hanging her head in defeat. "If you two go upstairs and remain there until I call you down for dinner, before bed I'll tell you a story of a girl he and I used to know. It'll be so thrilling you'll hardly be able to tell if it's real or not."

"But, who is he?" The girl asked her.

"What fun is it if I spoil anything now?" Kikyo countered. The two children gasped, jaws dropping as the girl scampered to take them from the kitchen in excitement. "And, keep the others from coming down too, please! No interruptions or no story!"

They listened as little feet stomped up the stairs, disappearing around the bend and bringing everything to a quiet. Miroku gave a kind nod to Kikyo, a pleasant curve to his lips as he tapped Inuyasha's arm with the back of his hand. "I'm going to check out the surrounding area. Make sure we're clear. I'll be outside."

The prince nodded, dismissing him as he and Kikyo were left alone. Steadily, she removed her apron, wiping her hands clean with it before bunching it up and leaving it on the nearby counter. Her overdress, a deep, plum color that contrasted nicely against her pale skin, was mostly clean aside from a couple flour stains on the bodice.

"Did you - are you traveling…" Kikyo inhaled anxiously, a barely noticeable tremble in her breath. "Is it just the two of you?"

"No one I'm with will disturb your peace, I promise. I would never stick around to compromise that." The prince assured, standing up straight. "It's good to see you, Kikyo."

Her smile won over as she let down her guard, walking over to Inuyasha and pulling him into a tight hug, his arms wrapping tight around her waist. "I can't believe it! I never thought I'd see you again!"

"Me neither! I'm just glad to know you've made a life for yourself! Is it everything you wanted?"

"Yes." She breathed, and he could catch the hint of satisfaction on her tongue. Kikyo released him, stepping back and meeting his eyes. "I never had much of a plan. My only goal was to get away, start fresh, be common. I'll admit, it was tricky in the beginning and for quite some time after that. But, I figured it out. I found a purpose. I make ends meet just like every other townsperson, and I care for little ones who deserve a fighting chance in this world. So, yes. It is. It's hard, but it's worth it."

"You've been safe?"

"Turns out, I can fend for myself quite nicely. And, I still have the knife your aide gave me all those years ago."

"I hope you've never had to use it."

"Actually no, but I did punch a guy straight in the nose one time. I felt like you'd have been proud of me if you'd seen the bloody mess." She stated with a humble shrug.

Inuyasha laughed, nodding in agreement. "I'm honestly surprised you aren't going by an alias. When Shippo mentioned your name, Miroku and I almost didn't believe it could have been you."

"I told you long ago, prince. I would run until my face was unrecognizable and my name meant nothing. Here, Kikyo is my _only_ identity."

His smile was warm. Grateful even. Her brown eyes shined of a joy he'd never seen before; never had an opportunity to see before. He was genuinely happy for her.

"And, what of my horse?" He inquired playfully.

"Did you mean _my_ horse?" Kikyo giggled. "She's out back in her stable. You may see her when we're done talking. You must catch me up! What are you doing all the way out here in the first place?"

"Business. Had to show face at a coronation since my brother has been preoccupied. We were actually on our way home."

"Preoccupied? No, never mind. That's none of my business. My father," She hesitated. "Do you know what's become of him? Is he okay?"

The prince sucked in a tedious breath, hardly able to hide the way he pinched his lips into a straight line, golden eyes falling downward.

"Oh," She said with bated breath. "He's who's preoccupying King Sesshomaru."

"We don't have to talk about that."

"No, it's fine." Kikyo insisted. "It's not like I don't know who my father is. Is he - has he gotten worse?"

"We've almost gone to war already." Inuyasha admitted, his voice dropping to a gruff level, almost wanting to protect her from this news. Truth was, King Onigumo needed to be removed from the thrown, and unless he did an abrupt about face and learned benevolence, with the way things were headed, it may potentially happen. By force. It was something Sesshomaru and Kagura were working tirelessly to avoid, and Onigumo gave way here and there - he wasn't completely obstinate. The last threat for violence was over a year ago, and things have calmed down considerably since. Nonetheless, Sesshomaru's patience was running thin.

"Figures." She eventually said, shaking her head in reply. Kikyo was mindful to subtly change the subject, understanding that he was right and they shouldn't talk about this sort of thing. She sighed out, "And you, prince? Are you happy?"

"You have no idea." He smirked.

Her eyes drifted over him, taking in his same, tousled hair, his healthy glow, his broad physique, the way he somehow seemed more muscular than before, and stopped at the silver ring on his left hand. Stunted, Kikyo's gaze shot back up to his for a moment before she stepped forward and grasped his hand, carefully analyzing the band on his ring finger.

Inuyasha's smile grew wide, chuckling when she stared at him with an expectant look.

"Is it…"

"Would you like to meet her?"

—

Inuyasha came out of the shrubbery with Miroku on his heel, the pleasant sound of content and eating horses meeting his ears. He glanced around, his strong instincts always wanting to lay eyes on his wife before allowing him to move forward, and when he didn't immediately spot her, a frown marred his lips. Two knights stood to the side, always ready for whatever, and Koga rested carelessly on top of the carriage, hardly regarding the prince's return. Without even opening his eyes, he pointed with his thumb in the direction on the opposite side of the carriage. Miroku stayed behind, allowing the prince to venture forward in search of his person.

He stepped off the road and into more woodland, following the sweet scent he recognized as home until he saw her sitting in a small clearing, her back resting along a tree trunk. Sango, always near her, turned to see him, acknowledging him silently before dismissing herself and leaving them in privacy. Just as he preferred.

"There you are." He hummed, approaching before her, and as she opened her eyes to see him, the most beautiful smile appeared on her face. Inuyasha sighed out deeply as he dropped down, sitting beside her, and she leaned into his arm, resting her cheek on his shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

"You ask that so often." Kagome giggled, nestling closer.

"To be fair, it changes frequently." He joked, flinching slightly as she playfully swatted his chest.

"I'm fine, butt head."

"No nausea?"

"Not lately."

"Tired?"

"Always."

"Hungry?"

"Always."

"Annoyed?"

"Getting there."

Inuyasha laughed, kissing the top of her head as she gently caressed her fingers over the material of the pants on his thigh.

"You were gone for a while." Kagome spoke softly. "Was it far?"

"Not really," Inuyasha responded just as gently, enjoying the attention he was receiving. "I had stopped to talk to someone. I didn't mean to make you wait."

"Oh, I don't mind." Somehow, her voice became even quieter, hushed as ever but still conveying her honesty. "If it's for you, I'd wait forever."

Inuyasha's core warmed wonderfully, bringing him to kiss her head again in adoration. He wanted to bask in her sentiment, fully comforted by her fingers roaming over his thigh and her body heat soaking through his shirt. He'd never have his fill of this woman.

"There's a couple things I wanted to run over with you, if that's alright."

"Oh?" Kagome perked, sitting up to look at him, her hand traveling up to his forearm to graze.

"Yes. Shippo mentioned a lady of the house to you, do you recall?"

"Mhm." She hummed with a single nod.

"Well, turns out he's an orphan. The lady of the house is the caretaker of a small orphanage of sorts. She's who I was talking to." Inuyasha explained, observing as Kagome's expression slightly faltered.

She was aware Rin came from a horrible orphanage. In the recent years, she's been a personal witness to her health struggles from the environment she was saved from, and has seen firsthand how the fear and stress of it all weighs on her parents, on her uncle. How during a very bad episode, Kagome found Inuyasha in a room hidden away in a library, his face buried in his hands.

The prince's brows furrowed minutely, his body slowly and steadily turning more to face his wife. "You're upset."

"Is it a good place?" She quietly asked, expression twisting in concern.

He soothed her, a small sigh leaving his mouth, gently stroking her cheek with the backs of his fingers. "Yes. It is, yes. It's stable, it's not crowded at all, and everyone's well-nourished. I swear. That's not what I intended to make you think about. You're too compassionate for your own good, did you know that?"

"Oh, like you didn't immediately worry about the same thing when you found out he was an orphan?" Kagome challenged, her mood lightening a bit after receiving his reassurance.

"No, you're right. It's impossible not to, I guess, from our perspective." Inuyasha said. "He really is in good care. Turns out, the _lady_ is an old friend. And, if you're up for a little walk, I'd like for you to meet her."

A smile began to grow on her face as her brows expressed her piquing interest. "Who?"

"Kikyo."

Inuyasha watched Kagome's bemusement deepen, her face twisting dramatically as she processed the two syllables he'd spoken.

"Yes, you heard me right." He confirmed.

"Kikyo?" She echoed.

"Yes."

_"The_ Kikyo?"

"The only one I, personally, know."

"The runaway princess?"

"That's the one."

"The Kikyo who called you a nit-witted mongrel?"

"Hah, that was a good one." He laughed, forgetting he'd told her nearly every detail of how they'd fought to dismember the marriage arrangement. "How do you remember that?"

"I remember everything." She stated simply. "But -"

_"Yes!"_

"Wow."

"I know."

"Alright, well we should get going." Kagome said with a nonchalant shrug, shifting slightly to her side to push herself up to a standing with her hand.

Inuyasha jumped up, grabbing her arms to help. "Wait, so you're okay with this? You're alright with a little walk?"

"First of all, you're too protective for your own good, did you know that?" She teased. "Second, I'm not _that_ far along. I can still see my toes and everything. I'm perfectly fine with walking."

Inuyasha pressed his mouth shut to stifle his laughter. "And, what about meeting her?"

"Oh, well you never asked me about that before. You told me _you_ wanted me to meet her, and knowing you, she's probably already expecting me. But, now that you're asking, I don't mind." Kagome shrugged again, a smug grin on her face that only served to egg Inuyasha on.

"Oh, you don't mind?" He echoed casually, stepping inward as his hands glided over her waist.

"I don't mind." She repeated.

"Not one bit?"

"Well," Kagome clicked her tongue, pursing her lips as she pretended to put more thought into it, her palms smoothing over Inuyasha's chest to wrap around his shoulders. "I can honestly say it's always been high on my list to meet your ex-fiancee. Now that I have the opportunity, how could I possibly pass it up?"

"Why you cheeky, little - are you jealous?"

"Me?"

"Mhm."

"Jealous?"

Inuyasha chuckled, leaning down to brush her jawline with a sweet kiss, knowing all too well that she was joking with him, and as he felt her smile push at her cheeks, he traveled down to nip at her neck.

"Not if you keep doing that." She breathed.

"If I keep doing this," Inuyasha spoke huskily against her skin, pausing his sentence to pepper more kisses. "We'll never get there."

Kagome giggled, waiting patiently for Inuyasha's lips to make their way to her own, his kiss soft, grounding, heart-sputtering.

"But really, Kagome."

She rubbed their noses together, giving him one last, delicate kiss. "Lead the way."

As they reached the bottom of the hill, Kagome was a laughing mess, her flats practically having held no traction as she slid every two steps the entire way down, causing Inuyasha to be a nervous train wreck attempting to keep her up. She slipped to her butt, his grip on her hands the only thing preventing her from crashing down hard, and he crouched down in front of her, heaving a heated and defeated huff. The prince grabbed her cheeks between his palms, bringing her to giggle harder as his frustrated expression worsened.

"You're going to be the death of me, woman!"

"This isn't my fault at all!" Kagome feebly argued.

"I don't see why you didn't just carry her down." Koga mentioned, both Miroku and Sango staring humorously at his sides.

"She won't let me carry her anymore!" Inuyasha defended, standing and holding his hand out for her, lifting her to her feet.

"It's not comfortable with a belly." Kagome explained, pointing to her swell. "And, I hate being carried like some dainty thing."

"You're being carried back up." Inuyasha declared, making her snort with another laugh.

"Okay, yeah, that's fair."

"Come on, the sun is setting." Miroku urged kindly. They'd left the two other knights to watch over their belongings, but had to bring Koga in case anything out of the ordinary occurred. The detailed reminder was unnecessary, especially since he knew Kagome wasn't fond of being doted on, but just like the prince, as princess, she was to be protected well. As princess _with child,_ she was almost never to be left alone. Worst case scenario, some bandits stumbled upon their carriage out on the road, understood it meant royals were about, and hid in the trees until they returned. If they were wandering back through the woods in the dark, their defense was lower than normal. Granted, Koga and Inuyasha would sense anyone around, but it still made things a degree more difficult. Realistically, the chances of any of that happening were slim, but not altogether impossible. Hence the reason they were well-guarded, and all scenarios were to be considered. Not to mention, the prince was naturally protective of her, the instinct kicking into high gear the moment he found out she was pregnant, and his orders were very clear from day one. Kagome is never to be put in a compromising position.

Inuyasha entwined his fingers with his princess's, keeping her close to his frame as he led her and the others through the town, the warm hues of the sky complimenting the colors of the homes nicely. There were still people out; not as many as before, but the life had yet to fully filter indoors. Unsurprisingly, heads were turning. It was one thing when two strangers were walking through, but now there were five - one of which who didn't really have the option to strip off a layer of clothing to appear more casual. Being of common blood, though, Kagome had a tendency to not even tense in situations like these, hardly paying it any mind.

He gave three curt knocks to the door, waiting respectfully as he heard two little feet running toward them from inside. The child seemed small, the doorknob jiggling roughly back and forth a few times before actually succeeding in opening to reveal that his assumption was right on the money. She was shorter than where the knob sat, and it was clear to see she'd struggled to twist it open with how tiny her hands were. Her eyes, though, were alight with wonder, the hollow of her throat emphasized with the steady gasp she sucked in.

The girl backed out of their way to let them enter, her sights trained on them as her cheeks beamed with color. As the group walked through, Sango shutting the door behind them, they all spotted a line of four other children peaking through the wooden railing of the staircase bannister. Their expressions matched the little girl's, and both Kagome and Inuyasha laughed lightly.

"I suppose our five minutes were up long ago, huh?" Inuyasha asked, spotting Shippo in the middle of them.

"I did my best, your highness. Really, I did." He said, unconvincingly.

"How's your leg feeling?" Kagome inquired, notching her head to see him through the crack in the railing.

"Never better!"

"I believe I told you all to wash up. Not gawk and stare." A woman playfully chided, cocking a brow as she watched them all scurry upstairs to do as she said, giggling madly all the way. The oldest of the bunch had picked Shippo up so he wouldn't get hurt, scampering away behind the rest.

Her gaze transferred to the group in the entry, a welcoming smile resting on her face. "Are you all hungry? There's _plenty_ of food." She offered, leading the way into the kitchen.

At first, Kagome could admit she was highly intimidated by the woman before her. By Kikyo. She was breathtakingly beautiful, her fair skin tone unblemished, her hair long and silky and dark as night, her posture still poised and fit to hold a crown steady atop her head. She, for one, was born into royalty. She knew the ins and outs of being a proper princess, of how to balance what was expected of her, and surely how to be graceful. The entire way, she wondered if Kikyo would secretly judge her on her etiquette if she stammered or acted informally in the least, having been raised to know better as opposed to the merciless educating Kagome was married into. Now, she could see Kikyo, the runaway princess, was no one to worry about. And, the offer of sustenance helped ease her mind drastically - no less since the heavenly smell of the home was almost making the poor princess drool.

"Oh, I like her already." Kagome whispered to Inuyasha, rubbing her belly soothingly as it rumbled. He chuckled, gripping her hand tighter as he turned to plant a quick kiss on her temple before guiding her forward.

Miroku and Koga stayed by the door - precautionary purposes, of course - but Sango followed behind the royals, leaving space but keeping watch. Just as before, Kikyo removed the apron she'd put back on, wiping her hands clean on it before bunching it up and dropping it on the counter, smoothing out any wrinkles in her dress.

"You must be Kagome." She deduced, her tone level and kind. "I'm Kikyo."

"The ex-fiancee." Inuyasha teased.

"Ew." Kikyo reacted automatically with a cringe. Inuyasha wheezed a laugh, flinching as Kagome lightly jabbed him in the side.

"Don't mind him." Kagome dismissed. "I'm sure you remember how funny he thinks he is. It's nice to finally meet you."

She chuckled, bowing her head in amusement as she stepped forward to shake the princess's hand.

"I hope you never run into royalty outside of this, Kikyo, because your manners are awful." Inuyasha mentioned, eyes alight with humor. Both of the women looked at him, confused until it clicked for Kikyo, her expression shifting to slight astonishment. "I believe you owe us a curtsey."

"Not on your life." She responded.

"Please don't." Kagome shook her head profusely.

"At least remember if you ever meet one who cares." Inuyasha contended.

"A woman bows to no man." She said with a challenging smirk before gesturing to the food-filled counters. "Now eat something and shut it."

"We can't stay long, but I would actually like to say hello to my horse first, if you don't mind." Inuyasha retorted, bringing the back of Kagome's hand to his mouth to kiss before letting go and crossing to the back door of the house at the far end of the kitchen.

_"My_ horse!" Kikyo reminded him as he ran out.

"Everything smells amazing." Kagome commented, looking around at the incredible amount of pastries and goodies around.

"Thank you. We sell baked goods for an income, but we always make more than necessary. Please, help yourself."

"Oh, no." She shook her head again. "I couldn't."

"You can and you will." Kikyo insisted. "Go for the chocolate chip first. You'll love them."

"Well, who am I to argue?" Kagome gave in with a meek shrug, happily bouncing over to the cookies to grab the large chocolate chip on top.

"Why aren't your guards coming in? It's fairly safe here; there's no need to be formal."

Kagome let out a groan, her head dropping back as Sango giggled in the doorframe, used to her dramatic gripes about the situation. "Because my _dear_ husband put them on high alert for the next six months, so now wherever we go, they're like this."

"Six months?" Kikyo questioned, brows furrowing.

"Well," Sango spoke. "Six months left, at least. And, really, it'll only get worse after that."

"Don't remind me." She rolled her eyes, taking a bite of the delicious treat in her hand.

Before Kikyo could ask anything further, the five children flocked in, all of them quiet for the most part but body language screaming of how excited they actually were. Kikyo had made sure to speak to the kids beforehand, forbidding a bombardment of questions she knew they would no doubt ask, threatening to take story time away - and each of them refused to risk that, wanting to hear the tale of how the lady of the house knew a _prince_.

"All clean?" She asked, her smile quite motherly.

"Yes!" They each answered, four out of five holding up their hands for her to see while the eldest held onto Shippo.

"Alright, you know the drill." The eldest looked at the smallest girl behind her, the one who'd opened the door for them, gesturing out the other end of the kitchen where Kagome assumed the dining room was, taking she and Shippo to the table. The others got out the bowls, and plates, the utensils most likely already set out, waiting in an uniformed line for Kikyo to serve them hearty stew from the pot on the stove with a side of bread.

Inuyasha came back in not too long later, a pleased grin on his mouth, and Kagome could easily read he was ecstatic to have seen his old mare again. Ember eyes immediately landed on her, bringing a comforting heat to wash through her body, and he crossed the kitchen as the last child took food out to the dining room. His large palm instinctively glided over her belly, and he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, welcoming himself back to her side.

Kikyo no longer needed to ask a thing. The dress concealed her baby bump well, and she'd admit, if nothing had been said to tip her curiosity, and if the rubbing palm didn't smooth out the creases in Kagome's dress to reveal the adorable swell, she would have never noticed she was pregnant. It was peaceful, seeing the prince so happy when all she had the opportunity to know from him was sarcasm and angst. It was wonderful to know her friend had gotten the life he'd so desperately wanted. Deserved. Kikyo breathed complacently, filling extra bowls with food to hand to her guests.

—

The silver hair she stroked was soft, thick, the tips of her fingers massaging her husband's scalp as he rested his head on her chest. They were back in their carriage, strolling through the darkness to make up for a little lost time before finding a place to sleep for the night. Instead of the couple sitting on opposite sides, Inuyasha had wanted to hold her, waiting until they'd gotten moving again before he curled his finger and urged her toward him. Happily, Kagome obliged. Kagome would always oblige. She'd sat beside him, but her legs went over his lap, her back resting against the carriage wall as his arms wrapped around her waist, nestling his head just below her chin. Whenever he did that, he always released the most satisfied sighs, and his body was always wonderfully hot, the heat gracing her flesh by soaking through both of their clothing.

"Sometimes, like today," He spoke softly, his voice low and husky, doing something to her that she couldn't put words to. "I'm reminded of how different life could have turned out."

"You don't have to think about that, though." Kagome soothed, kissing his head as her fingers gently stroked one of his ears from base to tip.

"No. It's important that I do."

"Why?"

"Because, Kagome," She could have sworn she felt his face grow hotter against the bare skin of her chest, but the proof couldn't be seen with how they cuddled. "I almost didn't have you."

"But, you do." She whispered in a simple manner.

"And, I'm grateful."

"Oh, are you?" Kagome half teased.

"You just like hearing it." He chuckled lightly.

"So," She breathed, nuzzling her nose into his hair. "You're happy?"

Inuyasha sucked in a tedious inhale, one of his hands bracing him to sit up slightly as the other traveled up to caress her cheek. His amber eyes met her gorgeous brown, the light from the moon and stars filtering through a crack in the curtains and bringing an enchanting glow to her features. He felt his own expression soften as he broke, completely enraptured, leaning in to lightly press his lips to hers. Kagome melted into his kiss, and he could feel her own conviction, causing his lungs to tremble as he curved his fingers around the nape of her neck, solidifying their position for just a moment longer. As he slowly broke away, he relished in the heat of her sigh, rubbing his forehead to her own as he gave his answer in a gentle nod. Without another word, he carefully curled back into her, his arms once more around her waist and head resting safely along her chest, listening contentedly to the rhythm of her heartbeat.


End file.
